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The Fishing Industry in Focus
The Fishing Industry in Focus
Nicole Tung
April 2, 2026
After approximately one month at sea, Filipino fishermen unload catches of Yellowfin tuna, Bigeye tuna, and Blue Marlin at the General Santos fish port. The Philippines, May 21, 2025. General Santos is known as the Philippines’ tuna capital and hub for tuna fishing and exports. The city hosts numerous processing facilities where the fish, primarily tuna, is packaged or canned for sale to the Filipino market and for export worldwide © Nicole Tung for Fondation Carmignac
The exhibition – which is the result of a nine-month investigation supported by the Fondation Carmignac – offers a rare insight into one of the world’s most critical and understudied environmental crises. Southeast Asia produces more than half of the world’s fish, yet its waters are among the most depleted and contested. Nicole Tung’s work examines the complex dynamics of industrial fishing in the region, and its consequences for marine ecosystems and coastal communities.
Tung’s field reportages, created in Thailand, the Philippines and Indonesia, document a highly opaque industry whose accessibility is often limited – especially at sea, where operations take place far from public view. Her project explores issues such as deregulations in the fishing industry, the impact of geopolitical pressures on local fishers, as well as the working conditions of migrant labourers.
Overfishing in Southeast Asia traces the journey from local ports to global markets, exposing the fragility and human cost behind the seafood supply chains that reach consumers worldwide.
Katrin UllmannTung’s field reportages, created in Thailand, the Philippines and Indonesia, document a highly opaque industry whose accessibility is often limited – especially at sea, where operations take place far from public view. Her project explores issues such as deregulations in the fishing industry, the impact of geopolitical pressures on local fishers, as well as the working conditions of migrant labourers.
Overfishing in Southeast Asia traces the journey from local ports to global markets, exposing the fragility and human cost behind the seafood supply chains that reach consumers worldwide.
ALL IMAGES ON THIS PAGE: © Nicole Tung
Nicole Tung+-
The freelance photographer works for international publications and NGOs, primarily in the Middle East and Asia. She has reported on conflicts such as those in Libya and Syria, on former child soldiers in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and on the refugee crisis in Europe. She has received wide recognition for her work, including the International Photo Award, the Society of Professional Journalists Award and the James Foley Award for Conflict Reporting of the Online News Association. Her work has been exhibited at the Annenberg Space for Photography, at Visa Pour l'Image and at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club in Hong Kong. More
After approximately one month at sea, Filipino fishermen unload catches of Yellowfin tuna, Bigeye tuna, and Blue Marlin at the General Santos fish port. The Philippines, May 21, 2025. General Santos is known as the Philippines’ tuna capital and hub for tuna fishing and exports. The city hosts numerous processing facilities where the fish, primarily tuna, is packaged or canned for sale to the Filipino market and for export worldwide © Nicole Tung for Fondation Carmignac
A Burmese dock worker is sorting different fish species, after a catch from a Thai vessel was unloaded at a landing site in Ranong. Thailand, January 23, 2025 © Nicole Tung for Fondation Carmignac
Family members of Filipino fishermen are placing bait on fishing lines, ready to use. Quezon, Palawan, the Philippines, May 24, 2025 © Nicole Tung for Fondation Carmignac
Indonesian fishermen are unloading various types of fish – including sharks and wedgefish, one of the most threatened species. Tegal, Indonesia, June 13, 2025. © Nicole Tung for Fondation Carmignac