>> today on "earth focus" the dark side of shrimp and smartphone industries. reports from ailaland, 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 j juvenile seaea 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 t 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-o-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 t trucks and sport tos of rotting f fish on each vessel on the processing plants where they are ground down and wash and cooked intnto powdered fish fafar for food ---- fish flowerr foodod. alalongside thee species on fisg vessels, the searches documented pockets of juvenile shark species, waing 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 foforeignn language] >> laced withncreasingg quantities o of edible fish, lol 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 u uercover, one told u s mamany who unloaoad at the plane often under licensing agreements.

>> she claims her company is a prominent company in thailand,, which produces much ofof the fee that is eventutually fit to consumers in north america and europe. we also uncovered evidence to suggest that i if wrigley operas 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]

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

also in restaurants and s sold n stores, tropicacal prawns are popular choices ofof 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 impoveverished peoe were fighting to conserve their natural resources and livelihood against the might of the ron industry. >> [speaking foreign language] >> a farmer by profefession.

ththey are flooded w with saltwr in via aggressive shrimp farmers. there once for talk cropland now lies under a prawn pond. she is not alone. >> [speaking foreign language] >> it is not just the community that is threatened, however. the rivers in this region flow into the vast mangrove forest.t.

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

shrimpmp farmers in bangladesh could build t traded s stems througugh the eanankment. the consesequences of this has proven to be catastrophic during times of extreme weather. a a cyclone struckck several yes 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 phone in bangladesh and over 80 other countries s around the world.. >> a a broad spec drurum. it h has been a around for year. it is a very old chehemical. it is aimed at killing insects and preventing them from bebecoming pests. it is disastrous. it is an increredibly toxoxic chemical.. itit is one that affectss nearly everery element of the eco-systm from snails threw two fish or amphibians all the way up the food chahain. there'e's a huge number of countries around the world. it is banned for regioions best for reasasons.

my message to consumemers who et prawns, don't do it. >> it is not just a unregulated ususe of illegal chemicals that consumers should d be worried about. the british film crew uncovered evidencece of routine adulteratn of shrimp destined for faculties -- factotories. in this footage, they demonsnstrated how shrimp frfrom this region are secretly injected with dirty water to add weht before they are sold on to the factory. some ngos have often claimed t e shrimp indndustry in bangladeshs necessary to development. ththey are affected byby commerl shrimpmp agricululture.

>> people e who aree living in areas the shrimp is being cultivateded are being completey devoid off theheir livelihihoodf their lives. it is a system that iss not susustainable. and as to provide the eight cheaply in the country,y, how could ththat be developped? >> o our investstigation found r often met with intimidation, violence, and false charges. they f favor t the shrimp farme. >> [speaking f foreign language]

show me the nearestt 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 forgeded 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. itit doesn't have t to be like . one of the few areas that has naged to s successfully get the rate of shrimp farms and thehe didifference i istriking. >> [speaking f foreign language]

>> the message from the community's effect did by shrirp farming is clelear. >> [speaeaking foreign lanangua]

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

a wild west economy in minimal rich items. it p produces nearly one third f 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 f the island. >> [speaking foreieign language] >> one of the many who depend on miningng for their livelihood.

others he spopoke to our deeply opposed to the industrtry. >>qwueeewep@1@xxxxxx

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