Fish Farming: Main Causes
For the past seven years, Myanmar (fka Burma) has been experiencing genocide. Its government has attempted to kill as many Rohingya Muslims as possible. As a result, many have fled to nearby countries for refuge. Thailand used this opportunity to acquire more workers to fill their labour shortage (25, O’Connell). The people of Myanmar, desperate to escape, depend on brokers to help them flee and find employment upon arrival. The brokers lure them with false promises of safe jobs but sell them as slaves. These immigrants do not know that they are being tricked into debt bondage, sinking the workers into a cycle of debt where they have to keep working to pay it off. These large sums are usually hundreds of dollars and are impossible for these workers to repay (25, O’Connell). Due to illegally crossing the border, these immigrants are highly vulnerable to exploitation. Recently, Thai living standards have risen, resulting in a shortage of unskilled labour. Many workers in Thailand know of the issues with working in the fishing industry, resulting in only immigrants taking these jobs. Nearly 60% of Burmese workers are victims of forced labour in the Thai seafood industry (19, Mason). “Because they were illegal workers, the owners constantly threatened to call the police to keep them in line. Even documented migrants were vulnerable because the boss held onto identification papers so they could not leave” (19, Mason.) One thing has become evident, “Thailand’s fishing industry relies on migrant labour” (9, Herman).

Shrimp, once a luxurious delicacy, has now become a household item. Americans consume over 1.3 billion pounds of shrimp yearly (19, Mason). The bottomless appetite for cheap seafood fuels the Thai industry as migrant workers make up 90% of seafood processing (1, "Don't eat that shrimp"). Andy Hall, an expert on the labour of the Thai seafood industry, states, "If you look at the cost of shrimp overseas, it's very very cheap, and that comes from the exploitation inherent in the shrimp industry." As Western countries ignore these practices, Thailand continues to force workers into unlawful conditions. There have been various investigations to track where slave-peeled shrimp is coming from and how to stop it, but the answer seems much more complicated than expected. In the US, they allow slave-peeled shrimp to enter the supply chain due to a law that states that "companies can bring goods into the country that don't meet domestic labour laws (i.e. that were produced with forced labour)" (1, "Don't eat that shrimp"). For companies looking to stop slave-produced seafood, it is challenging. Although countries have tried to prosecute companies that use slaves, these companies will blatantly lie about whom they employ. Unlike the US, other countries have outright banned all seafood that results from slave labour. This has proved to be a more practical approach. Many deem that the issue's root is that these developed countries are choosing not to do anything about the problem, thus allowing unethical imports to persist.

The Consequences
The corporations utilise slaves for both fishing and peeling practices. The fishers are on ghostships, vessels that go to sea with slaves and return several years later. Instead of docking the boat, a mothership collects its catch to prevent the slaves from escaping. Ghostships catch the fish to be sold and sell the "trash fish" to shrimp farms. At the shrimp farms, after the shrimp is grown, it is transported to a peeling factory where workers, mostly women, are forced to peel shrimp for over 20 hours a day. The entire process of the Thai Shrimp industry is modern-day slavery, proving how difficult it may be to get shrimp from Thailand without these practices. The West wants less expensive goods, so companies have to cut down on workers' pay. Many victims of slavery have come out with testimonials reporting what they have seen. For example, 58% of workers on the fishing boats have reported seeing other crew members murdered by the captain (16, Kasztelan). Public executions are a method to scare workers to show the consequences of escaping. "Ship captains use electric shock treatment, sleep deprivation and drugs to keep the labourers passive" (2, Dow). The significant market demand is directly tied to the "400,000 migrants that work in the province, but only 70,000 are legally registered. The rest are employed illegally in anonymous peeling sheds that supply the larger companies that must fill massive orders from abroad" (23, Jason). What allows these large companies to escape these apparent human rights abuses? Corruption. These large Thai fishing industries are gaining millions of dollars, and the directly involved government also gains large profits. This is clear as Thailand's fishing industry is worth over $7 billion (5,). The police are not much help as they "took (victims) into custody and sold them again into the seafood industry" (19, Mason). It has become clear that no matter where these victims go, they are sold back into the industry. "The problem is fueled by corruption and complicity among the police and authorities" (19, Mason). Police say that because "they had illegally entered Thailand to begin with", they can do nothing about it (26, "Slavery still a problem"). In 2015, government officials were found guilty of smuggling tens of thousands of Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar. Only after the execution of several victims were those officials caught. Once this news became widespread, the EU took action. The EU was threatening to ban seafood exports from Thailand, so Thailand changed their trafficking law so that forced labour is a crime under Thai law. If this is the law, why has there been almost no action by government officials on forced labour (27, "Six years")? "The Thai government has been busy declaring victory, saying that they succeeded in ending this human trafficking" (27, "Six years"). When Thailand gets various countries threatening to end ties, they immediately enforce laws but do not follow any. Thailand claims there is no forced labour when evidence has proven otherwise countless times. Various survivors have come out expressing what they went through. Some men said, "Sometimes we'd see other ships, but we'd never see land. Even when we were really sick, the skipper made us work…some men died as a result. Really, it was torture." (27, "Six years"). Right now, the only consequence is a minimal fine. People get "absorbed in the cost of doing business" (10, "In trafficking report"). Even after all these years and various investigations, Thailand's seven billion-dollar seafood industry remains tainted with slaves even though it is 2023 (17, Kelly).

One of the most common strategies for collecting shrimp efficiently and effectively is using a trawler net. What makes this net very effective is its large size and weight. The bottom of the net scrapes along the ocean bed, thus collecting all the shrimp. With this comes significant environmental impacts on our oceans. With the trawler, the sea bed is wiped. All the past animals and species that were living there were pulled out. The trawlers turn the once vibrant ocean floor into a flat muddy surface (24, “Overfishing”). In commercial fishing, there is the large issue of bycatch. The trawler collects unnecessary species that are then killed and thrown overboard. According to the Pulitzer Centre, the bycatch ratio to shrimp is 6:1 (Pulitzer citation). Over 38 million tonnes of sea creatures are unintentionally caught (28, “Bycatch”). Thankfully, Thailand has transitioned to aquaculture (farmed shrimp). In 2010, Thailand exported over 1.2 million tons of farmed shrimp (11, Janofsky). Various studies have shown that farming fish is not good for the environment. To make space for aquaculture, they have to clear ocean areas that would otherwise be covered in mangroves. The mangroves have to be drained to make space for aquaculture. According to the CIFOR, “a kilo of farmed shrimp was responsible for almost four times the greenhouse-gas emissions than driving across America in a petrol-fuelled car” (24, Overfishing). The destruction of mangroves and habitats results in biodiversity loss, disrupting the ecosystem. In most cases, the shrimp are overbred and in horribly overcrowded conditions, swimming in their own manure. Thailand is damaging the environment and potentially killing its economy as it heavily relies on the seafood industry. As a result, slave labour is contributing considerably to climate change. Because of poverty, trafficked illegal immigrants work in the Thai seafood industry. The industry directly affects the environment by clearing the seabed floor and catching more bycatch than actual shrimp. Modern day-slavery is directly contributing to climate change. “Ecosystem decline and slavery exist in a vicious cycle. People are trafficked and forced to endure terrible human rights abuses while working in industries which also harm the environment” (24, Overfishing).

Conclusion
For decades the Thai fishing industry has relied on cheap immigrant workers to fuel its economy. It is known for its abuse of workers and the environment. However, there seems to be a lack of communication. Many buyers are unaware of what is happening overseas, unknowingly purchasing shrimp made from slaves. In order to eradicate this, the Thai government must implement global fishing conventions, ban transshipments at sea and create safe places for the victims. One of the Thai fishing conventions that can be implemented is the ILO Work in Fishing Convections, thus, enforcing decent work and living conditions for those on the fishing vessels. As well, by implementing the UN protocol to prevent and punish human trafficking, Thailand will have more police on the border patrol and hold those who helped traffick people accountable. Furthermore, Thailand should ban transshipments at sea. Currently, ghost ships will not dock on land for months or years. This ban would ensure that the boats dock every 30 days, preventing them from having illegal immigrants at sea for extended periods. Finally, when these victims successfully escape, they have nowhere to go. Left with no money and documents, they go to the police only to be sold back into the industry. It would be crucial to implement safe places where these victims can go to find help. Moreover, there are various things that Western countries should do. For example, the US should deny all shipments procured through slavery from Thailand. As consumers in the West, we can speak through our wallets by denying all seafood products that are using slavery and affecting the environment. Living in the West, your shopping decisions directly influence the market, and the government will see and hear the impact. Moving our spending habits to ethical companies will significantly impact the market. If you feel you cannot live without shrimp, maybe consider Shiok Meats—a company creating artificial shrimp that are as delicious without the harmful impacts.