Giant Industrial-Fishing Fleet Plunders the High Seas
A monitoring room in Buenos Aires tracks giant industrial-fishing ships in real-time, revealing a super-size fleet plundering the high seas off Mile 201, a largely ungoverned stretch of the South Atlantic. The distant-water fishing fleet, primarily from Asian countries and the North Atlantic, descends upon this area every year for five to six months, posing a serious environmental problem.
The charity Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF) describes it as one of the largest unregulated squid fisheries in the world, warning that the scale of activities could destabilise an entire ecosystem. "With so many ships constantly fishing without any form of oversight, the squid's short, one-year life cycle simply is not being respected," says Lt Magalí Bobinac, a marine biologist with the Argentinian coast guard.
There are no internationally agreed catch limits in the region covering squid, and distant-water fleets take advantage of this regulatory vacuum. Steve Trent, founder of the EJF, describes the fishery as a "free for all" and says squid could eventually disappear from the area as a result of "this mad fishing effort".
The consequences extend far beyond squid. Whales, dolphins, seals, sea birds, and commercially important fish species such as hake and tuna depend on the cephalopod. A collapse in the squid population could trigger a cascade of ecological disruption, with profound social and economic costs for coastal communities and key markets like Spain.
The lack of oversight in Mile 201 has enabled something darker too – widespread cruelty towards marine wildlife. Crews reported the deliberate capture and killing of seals on more than 40% of Chinese squid vessels and a fifth of Taiwanese vessels. The EJF shared photos and videos of seals hanging on hooks and penguins trapped on decks.
Workers on these ships described physical violence, including hitting or strangulation, wage deductions, intimidation, and debt bondage – a system that traps them at sea. Many reported working excessive hours with little rest. Much of the squid caught under these conditions still enters major global markets in the European Union, UK, and North America, warning consumers may be unknowingly buying seafood linked to animal cruelty, environmental destruction, and human rights abuse.
The EJF is calling for a ban on imports linked to illegal or abusive fishing practices and a global transparency regime that makes it possible to see who is fishing where, when, and how. The charity urges Beijing to take urgent action, saying "the Chinese distant-water fleet is the big beast in this," and without immediate response, disaster is looming.
A monitoring room in Buenos Aires tracks giant industrial-fishing ships in real-time, revealing a super-size fleet plundering the high seas off Mile 201, a largely ungoverned stretch of the South Atlantic. The distant-water fishing fleet, primarily from Asian countries and the North Atlantic, descends upon this area every year for five to six months, posing a serious environmental problem.
The charity Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF) describes it as one of the largest unregulated squid fisheries in the world, warning that the scale of activities could destabilise an entire ecosystem. "With so many ships constantly fishing without any form of oversight, the squid's short, one-year life cycle simply is not being respected," says Lt Magalí Bobinac, a marine biologist with the Argentinian coast guard.
There are no internationally agreed catch limits in the region covering squid, and distant-water fleets take advantage of this regulatory vacuum. Steve Trent, founder of the EJF, describes the fishery as a "free for all" and says squid could eventually disappear from the area as a result of "this mad fishing effort".
The consequences extend far beyond squid. Whales, dolphins, seals, sea birds, and commercially important fish species such as hake and tuna depend on the cephalopod. A collapse in the squid population could trigger a cascade of ecological disruption, with profound social and economic costs for coastal communities and key markets like Spain.
The lack of oversight in Mile 201 has enabled something darker too – widespread cruelty towards marine wildlife. Crews reported the deliberate capture and killing of seals on more than 40% of Chinese squid vessels and a fifth of Taiwanese vessels. The EJF shared photos and videos of seals hanging on hooks and penguins trapped on decks.
Workers on these ships described physical violence, including hitting or strangulation, wage deductions, intimidation, and debt bondage – a system that traps them at sea. Many reported working excessive hours with little rest. Much of the squid caught under these conditions still enters major global markets in the European Union, UK, and North America, warning consumers may be unknowingly buying seafood linked to animal cruelty, environmental destruction, and human rights abuse.
The EJF is calling for a ban on imports linked to illegal or abusive fishing practices and a global transparency regime that makes it possible to see who is fishing where, when, and how. The charity urges Beijing to take urgent action, saying "the Chinese distant-water fleet is the big beast in this," and without immediate response, disaster is looming.
The sad truth is, the high seas have become a Wild West for giant industrial-fishing fleets 
. They just show up, plunder, and leave no regard for the ecosystem or marine life 
. It's like they're playing a game of "spot the squid" instead of respecting its short life cycle 
.
, but this is on a whole other level 
. The fact that there's no oversight in these areas means it's like a free for all 
... until something catastrophic happens 
.
... it's heartbreaking to think about the physical and emotional abuse suffered by animals on these ships 
. It's our responsibility as consumers to be aware of what we're buying and demand change 
.
. And for those countries involved, like China, it's time to take action 
️. We can't just sit back and watch as our oceans continue to suffer 
.
and it's devastating for marine life and ecosystems too 
we need to call out this cruelty and support a global transparency regime so we can know who's behind this stuff and hold them accountable 
they're just plundering our oceans without any care for the environment or wildlife! I mean, can you believe there's no catch limits in place for squid? It's like a free-for-all out there 
. We need to do something about this ASAP! The EJF is calling for a ban on imports linked to illegal or abusive fishing practices and a global transparency regime... I'm all for that 
we could make a difference if we raised awareness and demanded action from our leaders. We can't let these giant industrial-fishing ships continue to plunder our oceans without consequences 
.
. and it's not just about the squid, all those other creatures that depend on them will get hit too - whales, dolphins, seals, penguins... we're talking about entire ecosystems here 
Squid population collapse, whales and dolphins dying off... it's not just about the fish, it's about the entire ecosystem 
And then there's this cruelty towards marine wildlife? It's like they have no conscience at all 
Can't believe some of these vessels are still getting away with animal abuse, worker exploitation... 
I'm so worried about what's going on with these industrial-fishing fleets in the high seas. It's like they have no regard for the environment or animal welfare at all 
The fact that squid are being overfished to the point where their life cycle is basically ignored is just staggering. And it's not just the squid, it's a whole ecosystem that's being put in danger.
It's like we're complicit in their suffering. And it's not just the animals that are affected - the communities that depend on fishing and tourism are also being hurt.
. The lack of oversight in that part of the world is just appalling 
. I mean, I get it, there are some countries that don't exactly have a reputation for bein' super friendly to the environment, but come on! We can do better than this 
.
. And poor people too... debt bondage and wage deductions? That's just sick 
.
. Beijing needs to step up and do somethin' about this ASAP 
. Can't let disaster loom anymore 
.
.
.
. A global transparency regime that tracks who's fishing where and how is a must. And yeah, China needs to be held accountable for their role in this - they're the biggest players in this game, after all 
. The fact that they're catching squid without any oversight is already bad enough, but the cruel treatment of marine wildlife and workers on these ships? That's just heartbreaking 
. It's like we have no idea about what's going on in our oceans anymore 
.
. It's not just about the squid, it's about all the other creatures that depend on it, and it's about the people who are being treated unfairly in the process 
.
can you even believe these ships are just doing whatever they want? squid fishery is literally destroying the entire ecosystem 
and workers getting treated so cruelly? physical violence, debt bondage... it's disgusting 
[gif: eyes looking at a TV screen with a news report about ocean conservation]
The squid population is basically being decimated and who knows what other animals are going to suffer because of it? 
it was soooo relaxing! We got lost in the middle of nowhere and had to navigate by stars... it was actually kinda cool. Did I tell you about that time my cat learned how to "help" me type on my laptop? 
it's hilarious, trust me 
It's time for some real change here, IMO