Powerful images show dark side of South-East Asia’s fishing industry

These striking images are the result of Nicole Tung’s nine-month expedition to illustrate the human and environmental toll of overfishing in Southeast Asia. Since the 1950s, fishing has evolved from a traditional artisanal practice into a massive, industrial global enterprise. Concurrently, the incidence of overfishing and illegal fishing has surged in response to increasing demand from a growing population.

Her focus on this region stems from its critical position in the worldwide fishing industry. Funded by a €50,000 Carmignac Photojournalism Award for fieldwork, Tung’s work has shifted her perspective on seafood consumption. She emphasizes the importance of being more conscientious about seafood choices rather than advocating complete abstinence from seafood.

Tung recounted chilling accounts from Indonesian fishermen, detailing the atrocities they witnessed at sea and the dire conditions they frequently endured aboard fishing vessels.

The image below displays a fisher unloading yellowfin tuna at the General Santos fish port in the Philippines after spending a month at sea. Accompanying this catch are bigeye tuna and blue marlin.

In another scene, a dock worker from Myanmar meticulously sorts fish species at a landing site in Ranong, Thailand. An image captured during a local festival on Koh Lipe, Thailand, showcases Indigenous Urak Lawoi people alongside Thai villagers gathering materials from neighboring islands. This annual event marks the end of the fishing and tourism season, where wood collected will be fashioned into a ceremonial boat as a tribute to their ancestral spirits.

Finally, a heartwarming image captures a family of Filipino fishers preparing bait for fishing lines in Palawan, emphasizing the deep-rooted connection between families and their fishing traditions.