Thailand is the world's third-largest exporter of fish and fishery products. But heavy fishing off the country's coast and a lack of regulations is leaving the waters severely depleted. Some fish stocks are nearing the point of no return.
Samut Sakorn, Thailand's beating heart. This has always been the "Fishing City."
It may seem idyllic: fishermen in small boats casting their own nets. But this area is slowly seeing its own destruction. According to official statistics, from a peak of almost 300kg per hour in the 1960s, Thai fishing boats are catching now just 18kg per hour on average making The Gulf of Thailand one of the most exploited seas in the world.
Fishing is one of the largest industries in Southeast Asia, yet 80 percent of the region's fishermen operate on a small scale. As areas once suitable for fishing become polluted and fish populations disappear, the future of small-scale fishing in Thailand is in jeopardy.
