Corporate Greed and the Marginalization of Traditional Fishermen: A Fight for Survival

17 February 2025, Pulau Pinang – The aggressive expansion of corporate interests in marine resource exploitation has led to the systematic marginalization of traditional fishermen. Large-scale industrialization, land reclamation, and deep-sea mining, while touted as drivers of economic progress, have devastated local fishing communities, depriving them of their livelihoods and destroying marine ecosystems. This paper critically examines how corporate greed and government complicity have accelerated the decline of small-scale fisheries. It highlights the urgent need for policies that prioritize fishermen’s rights, environmental justice, and equitable access to marine resources.

Traditional fishing communities have existed for centuries, depending on sustainable practices to maintain fish populations and secure food supplies. However, the rise of industrial fisheries, aquaculture monopolies, and corporate-led land reclamation projects has sidelined small-scale fishermen, often pushing them to the brink of poverty. Governments, under pressure from corporate lobbying, continue to prioritize short-term economic gains over long-term ecological and social stability. This paper investigates the power dynamics that fuel the exploitation of marine resources, arguing that the destruction of traditional fisheries is not an inevitable consequence of development but a deliberate act of corporate-driven dispossession.

Industrial fishing fleets, often owned by multinational corporations, dominate marine resources through destructive practices such as bottom trawling and overfishing. These fleets deplete fish stocks at unsustainable rates, leaving small-scale fishermen with dwindling catches. Additionally, land reclamation projects, driven by real estate and tourism industries, have led to the loss of critical coastal ecosystems, displacing entire fishing communities. Fishermen who once relied on nearshore waters are now forced into deeper, more dangerous areas, increasing operational costs and safety risks. The monopolization of fishing rights by large corporations, facilitated by government-issued licenses, has further eroded traditional fishermen’s access to their own waters.

The environmental degradation caused by industrial expansion disproportionately impacts small-scale fishermen. Oil spills, pollution from industrial waste, and the destruction of coral reefs and mangroves have led to declining fish populations. While corporations extract maximum profits from marine resources, they externalize environmental costs onto fishermen and coastal communities. The loss of marine biodiversity is not merely an unfortunate byproduct of economic activity but a calculated consequence of policies that favor corporate profits over ecological sustainability. The erasure of traditional fishing practices, which have long been rooted in ecological balance, signals a dangerous shift toward unsustainable marine governance.

Rather than protecting the rights of fishermen, many governments act as enablers of corporate exploitation. Weak enforcement of environmental laws, corruption in fishing license allocations, and policies that favor industrial fisheries have systematically undermined small-scale fishing communities. In many cases, local fishermen are criminalized for defending their waters against encroaching corporate interests, while industrial trawlers operate with impunity. The privatization of marine resources through exclusive economic zones (EEZs) and free trade agreements further marginalizes artisanal fishermen, reducing their ability to compete in markets dominated by large-scale operations.

Despite these challenges, fishermen around the world have mobilized against corporate and government injustices. Protests against land reclamation, legal battles against corporate fisheries, and the formation of cooperatives to resist market monopolization have demonstrated the resilience of fishing communities. Grassroots movements advocating for marine conservation, food sovereignty, and fishing rights are gaining traction, forcing policymakers to reconsider the unchecked expansion of industrial fishing. However, without broader systemic change, these efforts remain at risk of suppression by powerful corporate interests.

To combat the corporate takeover of marine resources and restore justice for fishermen, the following actions must be prioritized:

Abolition of Corporate-Controlled Industrial Fishing – Governments must phase out destructive large-scale fishing operations that exploit marine resources at the expense of small-scale fishermen.
Stronger Legal Protections for Traditional Fishermen – Policies should grant legal recognition to artisanal fisheries, ensuring secure access to traditional fishing grounds and protection from corporate encroachment.
Community-Led Marine Conservation – Fishermen should be empowered to manage marine ecosystems, utilizing their ecological knowledge to sustain fish populations and biodiversity.
Ban on Environmentally Destructive Land Reclamation Projects – Governments must halt coastal development that displaces fishermen and destroys critical marine habitats.
Criminalization of Corporate Environmental Violations – Stricter enforcement of environmental laws should hold corporations accountable for the destruction of marine ecosystems, with heavy penalties for violations.
Economic Justice for Fishermen – Financial support, subsidies, and market access programs should be established to empower small-scale fishing operations and counterbalance corporate monopolization.

The systematic marginalization of traditional fishermen is a direct consequence of unchecked corporate greed and government complicity. The exploitation of marine resources has been framed as an economic necessity, but in reality, it is an orchestrated assault on the rights of fishermen and the health of marine ecosystems. The fight for justice requires radical policy shifts, strong grassroots resistance, and international solidarity with fishing communities. Protecting fishermen is not just an economic issue—it is a moral imperative that defines the future of sustainable marine governance.