Films
Unregulated: The South Atlantic Squid Fishing Boom
Hundreds of distant-water vessels are plundering squid populations in the Southwest Atlantic, driving a keystone species towards collapse and exposing workers to horrific abuses, according to a new investigation and film from the Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF).
Unregulated: The South Atlantic Squid Fishing Boom
Hundreds of distant-water vessels are plundering squid populations in the Southwest Atlantic, driving a keystone species towards collapse and exposing workers to horrific abuses, according to a new investigation and film from the Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF).
Walls of Death: Illegal Driftnetting in the Mediterranean
Among the most destructive fishing methods ever used, driftnets have been banned in the Mediterranean for decades - but EJF's latest investigation reveals they never really went away.
Discarded: Hidden Overfishing in the EU
In European waters, fish are caught and dumped at sea to make room for more valuable catch. This practice, known as highgrading, is illegal, but unfortunately most cases go unreported.
This extremely wasteful and unsustainable practice puts pressure on struggling ecosystems and harms honest fishers’ livelihoods. Transparency is the key to protecting these ecosystems and ending this widespread illegal practice.
The High Seas: A Global Deal to Protect Our Oceans
The UN High Seas Treaty has entered into force, and we celebrate this exciting moment for ocean protection. It is evidence that a rules-based order can still deliver in the face of escalating environmental breakdown.
Sebelum Anda Naik Kapal: Risiko Tersembunyi dari Kapal Penangkap Ikan Jarak Jauh
15th December, 2025Sebelum Anda Naik Kapal: Risiko Tersembunyi dari Kapal Penangkap Ikan Jarak Jauh
Before You Board: The Hidden Risks of Distant Water Fishing
Every year, thousands of Indonesians work as fishers on foreign boats, promised high wages for work abroad. However, the reality of life at sea can be very different from what is promised. Once onboard, fishers are routinely overworked, abused, and exploited.
Are you thinking of taking a job on a distant water fishing vessel? Watch out for these warning signs:
🚩 The recruitment agency doesn't have a valid licence or has a bad reputation. A company's SIUKAK/SIUPPAK permit can be found on the official Ministry of Transportation website, while its SIP3MI permit can be checked on the Ministry of KP2MI website.
🚩 The recruitment agency offers loans
Loans through banks or cash advances from companies are often used to pressure crew into accepting low salaries or prevent them from terminating their employment contracts.
🚩 Lack of transparency about salary
The recruitment agency receives crew's salary in advance before transferring it to their personal account. This creates an opportunity for companies to illegally "take a share" of crew's salary.
🚩 Retention of identity documents
Confiscation of passports, ID cards, family cards, and other personal documents controls migrant workers' movements while working.
🚩 Offered work on Chinese-flagged ships
Several human rights organisations have documented various human rights violations and allegations of forced labor against Indonesian migrant workers on Chinese-flagged ships.
(The footage used is illustrative and does not necessarily show the boats discussed by the fishers.)
The Forests of Life: How Mangroves Sustain Ghana's Fisheries, Coastline, and Climate – an EJF film
Mangroves sustain communities, shield coasts, and store vast amounts of carbon. In Ghana they are vanishing fast – but their protection is within reach through safeguarding, restoration, and community leadership.
In partnership with Hen Mpoano, watch our short documentary, which reveals how local action and stronger policy can revive these vital ecosystems.
Together we are strong: Liberia's fishmongers building fairer fisheries
Communities for Fisheries: The lasting impact – an EJF film
Reports
OUT OF SIGHT, OUT OF CONTROL: The global boom in destructive squid fishing
The Environmental Justice Foundation's new global report exposes what happens aboard distant-water squid vessels operating beyond any oversight, forced labour, physical violence, and deaths at sea across fisheries that supply 60% of the world's squid. The European Union is the world's largest squid importer. What happens out of sight has consequences here.
The Environmental Justice Foundation's new global report exposes what happens aboard distant-water squid vessels operating beyond any oversight, forced labour, physical violence, and deaths at sea across fisheries that supply 60% of the world's squid.
The European Union is the world's largest squid importer. What happens out of sight has consequences here.
LOIN DES REGARDS, LOIN DE TOUT CONTRÔLE: Comment la pêche non réglementée au calmar alimente le travail forcé et les pratiques destructrices en mer: Le nouveau rapport mondial de l'Environmental Justice Foundation dévoile ce qui se passe à bord des navires de pêche au calmar en haute mer, qui opèrent en dehors de tout contrôle : travail forcé, violences physiques et décès en mer dans des pêcheries qui fournissent 60 % du calmar mondial. L'Union européenne est le premier importateur mondial de calmar. Ce qui se passe loin de nos regards a des conséquences ici.
Le nouveau rapport mondial de l'Environmental Justice Foundation dévoile ce qui se passe à bord des navires de pêche au calmar en haute mer, qui opèrent en dehors de tout contrôle : travail forcé, violences physiques et décès en mer dans des pêcheries qui fournissent 60 % du calmar mondial.
L'Union européenne est le premier importateur mondial de calmar. Ce qui se passe loin de nos regards a des conséquences ici.
OJOS QUE NO VEN, CONTROL QUE NO SE EJERCE: El auge mundial de la pesca destructiva de calamar: El nuevo informe mundial de la Fundación para la Justicia Ambiental pone al descubierto lo que ocurre a bordo de los buques de pesca de calamar de alta mar que operan sin ningún tipo de supervisión: trabajo forzoso, violencia física y muertes en el mar en las pesquerías que suministran el 60 % del calamar mundial. La Unión Europea es el mayor importador de calamar del mundo. Lo que ocurre fuera de nuestra vista tiene consecuencias aquí.
El nuevo informe mundial de la Fundación para la Justicia Ambiental pone al descubierto lo que ocurre a bordo de los buques de pesca de calamar de alta mar que operan sin ningún tipo de supervisión: trabajo forzoso, violencia física y muertes en el mar en las pesquerías que suministran el 60 % del calamar mundial.
La Unión Europea es el mayor importador de calamar del mundo. Lo que ocurre fuera de nuestra vista tiene consecuencias aquí.
The European Ocean Act: Securing Europe’s Ocean Future: Europe’s future security, competitiveness and resilience will be decided at sea. This implementation gap is becoming a strategic vulnerability for Europe, weakening fisheries productivity, offshore infrastructure, maritime supply chains and coastal stability. The European Ocean Act is an opportunity to move from commitments to delivery, ensuring 100% of EU waters are managed sustainably within ecological limits. This policy briefing lays out two strategic imperatives for the Ocean Act.
Europe’s future security, competitiveness and resilience will be decided at sea. This implementation gap is becoming a strategic vulnerability for Europe, weakening fisheries productivity, offshore infrastructure, maritime supply chains and coastal stability. The European Ocean Act is an opportunity to move from commitments to delivery, ensuring 100% of EU waters are managed sustainably within ecological limits. This short briefing lays out two strategic imperatives for the Ocean Act.
The European Ocean Act: Turning Ocean Governance into Delivery: The European Ocean Act represents a critical opportunity to move from fragmented commitments to implementation and measurable delivery, while creating a more coherent and effective framework for EU ocean governance. However, it should not become a deregulatory vehicle for weakening environmental protections. This policy briefing lays out our recommendations for the Ocean Act, to ensure it builds Europe's economic security, maritime resilience and strategic autonomy.
The European Ocean Act represents a critical opportunity to move from fragmented commitments to implementation and measurable delivery, while creating a more coherent and effective framework for EU ocean governance. However, it should not become a deregulatory vehicle for weakening environmental protections. This policy briefing lays out our recommendations for the Ocean Act, which must be implemented ensure it builds Europe's economic security, maritime resilience and strategic autonomy.
Right to Reduce: Toxic-free reuse and reduction-enabling systems as real solutions to plastic pollution: The "Right to Reduce" is a concept created by the Environmental Justice Foundation. This policy white paper asserts that the ability to reduce consumption of plastics and materials is a human right. It shows that today, individuals are systematically denied the right to reduce due to the dominance of plastics in everyday life, leaving people with little meaningful ability to avoid plastic consumption. This right to reduce is guaranteed by establishing toxic-free reduction-enabling systems, challenging the current system of plastic overproduction and overconsumption, and rejecting false solutions.
The "Right to Reduce" is a concept created by the Environmental Justice Foundation. This policy white paper asserts that the ability to reduce consumption of plastics and materials is a human right. It shows that today, individuals are systematically denied the right to reduce due to the dominance of plastics in everyday life, leaving people with little meaningful ability to avoid plastic consumption.
This right to reduce is guaranteed by establishing toxic-free reduction-enabling systems, challenging the current system of plastic overproduction and overconsumption, and rejecting false solutions.
Joint letter to Cyprus EU Presidency: Upholding the common fisheries policy at the EU Fisheries Directors General and Attachés informal meeting in Cyprus: This letter, signed by the Environmental Justice Foundation, Coalition Clean Baltic, ClientEarth, Oceana, Seas At Risk and WWF EU, urges Mrs Marina Argyrou, Director of the Department of Fisheries and Marine Research of Cyprus and presiding over the informal meeting of EU Fisheries Directors General and Attachés (26-28 April 2026), to resist growing pressure from some Member States to reopen core fisheries legislation under a so-called "simplification package", and to prioritise the full and timely implementation of existing Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) provisions as a prerequisite to achieving sustainable EU fisheries.
This letter, signed by the Environmental Justice Foundation, Coalition Clean Baltic, ClientEarth, Oceana, Seas At Risk and WWF EU, urges Mrs Marina Argyrou, Director of the Department of Fisheries and Marine Research of Cyprus and presiding over the informal meeting of EU Fisheries Directors General and Attachés (26-28 April 2026), to resist growing pressure from some Member States to reopen core fisheries legislation under a so-called "simplification package", and to prioritise the full and timely implementation of existing Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) provisions as a prerequisite to achieving sustainable EU fisheries.