Fight against illegal fishing | DW Documentary

One in five fish consumed worldwide is the product of illegal fishing. Fifteen years after completing an initial investigation, a team of journalists returns. Their goal? To investigate the practice today, and find out who these fishing pirates are.

The film follows members of the environmental organization FishAct on a dangerous search for clues in Tunisia. Here, illegal fishing boats snatch catches from local fishing crews and destroy sensitive seagrass meadows as they trawl coastal waters. At local fish markets, illegally caught shrimp receive documentation for export, ultimately ending up on Europe’s dinner plates as a supposedly legal product. According to environmental organizations, illegal fishing still accounts for 26 million tons of produce per year.

How are these fishing pirates still being allowed to exploit the world's oceans? The filmmakers look for answers in the Mediterranean, US, EU and Australia, talking to officials, activists and experts.