>> today on "earth focus" the dark side of shrimp and smartphone industries. reports from thailand, bangladesh, and indonesia under covers the brutal exploitation of people and the environment for profit. they are fishing illegally on thailand's coast. crossed over 50 species of fish come including giant starfish, seahorses, and juvenile sea

snakes. most of the catch is not good for consumption. it would be used to feed farm animals. it is sold to supermarkets in restaurants around the world. link tv and a college is visited thailand to investigate links -- link tv and others visited thailand to investigate links. industrial agriculture promote to stop as a sustainable solution for the problems of fishing. many of the so-called fish are pulled from the ocean around southeast asia with devastating effects.

these small and young edible fish are left to rot in the halls of vessels for days on weeks on end before being handled. fleets of trucks and sport tons of rotting fish on each vessel on the processing plants where they are ground down and wash and cooked into powdered fish far for food -- fish flower for food. alongside the species on fishing vessels, the searches documented pockets of juvenile shark species, waiting to be sold. these tropical fish are used as protein for the booming sugar industry, the largest exporter in the world. at what cost to the ocean?

>> [speaking foreign language] >> laced with increasing quantities of edible fish, local fishing communities are losing out. >> [speaking foreign language]

>> they say the by catch is accidental. >> [speaking foreign language] >> is not just the net and fishing techniques that are controversial however. working undercover, one told us many who unload at the plant are often under licensing agreements.

>> she claims her company is a prominent company in thailand, which produces much of the fee that is eventually fit to consumers in north america and europe. we also uncovered evidence to suggest that if wrigley operates legally in foreign waters. our research found that these modern-day pirates used to fishing technology in the waters all across asia. they're searching for more valuable fish species.

>> [speaking foreign language]

>> the industrial strength culture in thailand -- it is driving illegal this trafficking and across southeast asia to the global shrimp industry continues to rebrand itself as sustainable, but this film raises important questions about theoor agriculture and the key ingredients used to grow them. there is the precious marine biology diversity.

also in restaurants and sold in stores, tropical prawns are popular choices of food across the western world today. the region is a country's leading producer of ron to export overseas. it is at the center of the struggle. thousands of impoverished people were fighting to conserve their natural resources and livelihood against the might of the ron industry. >> [speaking foreign language] >> a farmer by profession.

they are flooded with saltwater in via aggressive shrimp farmers. there once for talk cropland now lies under a prawn pond. she is not alone. >> [speaki foreignanguage] >> it is not just the community that is threatened, however. the rivers in this region flow into the vast mangrove forest.

while providing a resource to local communities. 50 juvenile fish on average will die. >> [speaking foreign language] >> indictments are used in this region of bangladesh to protect farmlands in communities from storms that regularly hit this

coastline. shrimp farmers in bangladesh could build traded systems through the embankment. the consequences of this has proven to be catastrophic during times of extreme weather. a cyclone struck several years ago. >> [speaking foreign language]

>> during the course of the investigation, our team uncovered disturbing evidence and is just the legal chemicals are being regularly and routinely used in shrimp farms destined for european markets. >> [speaking foreign language]

>> the household name is referring to is -- a cell one in bangladesh and over 80 other countries around the world. >> a broad spec drum. it has been around for years. it is a very old chemical. it is aimed at killing insects and preventing them from becoming pests. it is disastrous. it is an incredibly toxic chemical. it is one that affects nearly every element of the eco-system from snails threw two fish or amphibians all the way up the food cha. there's a hu number countries around the world. it is banned for regions best

r reasons. my message to consumers who eat prawns, don't do it. >> it is not just a unregulated use of illegal chemicals that consumers should be worried about. the british film crew uncovered evidence of routine adulteration of shrimp destined for faculties -- factories. in this footage, they demonstrated how shrimp from this region are secretly injected with dirty water to add weight before they are sold on to the factory. some ngos have often claimed t shrimp industry in bangladesh is necessary to development. they are affected by commercial shrimp agriculture.

>> people who are living in areas the shrimp is being cultivated are being completely devoid of their livelihoods, of their lives. it is a system that is not sustainable. and as to provide the eight cheaply in the country, how could that be developed? >> our investigation found their often met with intimidation, violence, and false charges. they favor the shrimp farmers. >> [speaking foreign language]

show me the nearest starbucks -- >> it is commonplace. they're one of the few who are prepared to speak out against a shrimp farm employee who raped her in 2008. >> [speaking foreign language] >> our research into bangladesh

shows that their shrimp industry has forged a crucial path of ongoing ecological destruction and human rights abuses for the last two decades. they are subjecting thousands of people to extreme poverty while also potentially undermining the health of consumers. it doesn't have to be like this. one of the few areas that has managed to successfully get the rate of shrimp farms and the difference is striking. >> [speaking foreign language]

>> the message from the community's effect did by shrimp farming is clear. >> [speaking foreign language]

>> it is the latest expansion in the hunt for minerals to build smart phones for consumers around the world. prices have skyrocketed, fueling

a wild west economy in minimal rich items. it produces nearly one third of all of the tin. much of the tin is used for soda , a key component in electronic devices at the smartphones and tablets. at what cost? thousands of mining stites -- sites off the island. >> [speaking foreign language] >> one of the many who depend on

mining for their livelihood. others he spoke to our deeply opposed to the industry. >>g a a a úúúftf7lññ

severine: there's so many of you. [laughter] um, my name is severine. he gave me a few more directorships than i deserve, but we'll let the ship sail for now. um, push. i'm severine. i'm coming to you from northern new york, from the adirondacks, on lake champlain. audience: whoo, whoo! severine: that's my land, um, that i love. and i think in this room are some people who love land. [cheers and applause]