Remote sensing of fish-processing in the Sundarbans Reserve Forest, Bangladesh: an insight into the modern slavery-environment nexus in the coastal fringe

Jackson, Bethany; Boyd, Doreen S.; Ives, Christopher D.; Decker Sparks, Jessica L.; Foody, Giles M.; Marsh, Stuart; Bales, Kevin

Abstract

© 2020, The Author(s). Land-based fish-processing activities in coastal fringe areas and their social-ecological impacts have often been overlooked by marine scientists and antislavery groups. Using remote sensing methods, the location and impacts of fish-processing activities were assessed within a case study of Bangladesh’s Sundarbans mangrove forests. Ten fish-processing camps were identified, with some occurring in locations where human activity is banned. Environmental degradation included the removal of mangroves, erosion, and the destruction of protected areas. Previous studies have identified cases of labour exploitation and modern slavery occurring within the Sundarbans, and remote sensing was used to triangulate these claims by providing spatial and temporal analysis to increase the understanding of the operational trends at these locations. These findings were linked to the cyclical relationship between modern slavery and environmental degradation, whereby environmental damage is both a driver and result of workers subjected to modern slavery. Remote sensing can be used as an additional methodological tool to support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and provide evidence to support the promotion of the “freedom dividend” which would have far-reaching economic, social, cultural, and environmental benefits. Satellite remote sensing is likely to play an important role going forward for understanding these issues but should be augmented with ground-based data collection methods.

Citation

Jackson, B., Boyd, D. S., Ives, C. D., Decker Sparks, J. L., Foody, G. M., Marsh, S., & Bales, K. (2020). Remote sensing of fish-processing in the Sundarbans Reserve Forest, Bangladesh: an insight into the modern slavery-environment nexus in the coastal fringe. Maritime Studies, 19(4), 429–444. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40152-020-00199-7

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Sep 1, 2020
• Online Publication Date: Sep 17, 2020
• Publication Date: Dec 31, 2020
• Deposit Date: Sep 11, 2020
• Publicly Available Date: Sep 18, 2021
• Journal: Maritime Studies
• Electronic ISSN: 2212-9790
• Publisher: Springer Verlag
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 19
• Issue: 4
• Pages: 429–444
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40152-020-00199-7
• Keywords: Geography, Planning and Development; Aquatic Science; Development; Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law; Water Science and Technology
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/4895830
• Publisher URL: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40152-020-00199-7