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A wintry mix: 12 reading recommendations to get you through the storm

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A wintry mix: 12 reading recommendations to get you through the storm

A woman walks through a snowy street in Manchester in 1939.

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If you’re hunkering down ahead of the big winter storm this weekend, we want to make sure you’re well prepared. Yes, with batteries, flashlights, toilet paper, and food but — perhaps most importantly — with good reading material.

We looked back through some recent interviews and Books We Love, our annual year-end reading guide, to find snowy suggestions to get you through the storm.

For the nonfiction lovers

Winter: The Story of a Season, by Val McDermid

Winter: The Story of a Season by Val McDermid, 2026

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Scottish author Val McDermid is best known for her crime writing, a world of brutal murders and dark alleyways. But her new book, a work of creative nonfiction, is an ode to memories of winters past and a heartfelt appreciation of all the season has to offer. “I’m kind of hoping it charms you into winter as well,” McDermid told NPR’s Daniel Estrin. Her book meditates on warm soup, and winter festivals, and the comfort of coming indoors on a frigid day. “I like the contrast with being out in the outside, where it’s crisp and cold and when you come indoors and it’s all warm and lovely, and you can sit down with a good book and a good fire or a wee glass of whiskey,” she says. “What’s not to like about that?” — Samantha Balaban, senior producer, Weekend Edition

Ice: From Mixed Drinks to Skating Rinks – a Cool History of a Hot Commodity, by Amy Brady

Ice: From Mixed Drinks to Skating Rinks – a Cool History of a Hot Commodity by Amy Brady, 2023

Amy Brady’s cultural history of ice in America is the unexpected nonfiction pleasure read I turned to in lieu of air conditioning one summer. Brady fascinates and educates, covering the immense impact and complex social histories of this now-ubiquitous and indispensable part of American life. There’s a lot to learn! Helpfully, Ice is divided into four parts: The Birth of an Obsession, Food and Drink, Ice Sports, and The Future of Ice. With clear prose and a lot of passion, Brady touches on many manifestations of ice; however, it feels like just the tip of the iceberg. Do you like surprisingly expansive niche subjects? I can’t recommend this one enough. Jessica P. Wick, book critic and writer

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Wintering: The Power Of Rest And Retreat In Difficult Times, by Katherine May

Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times by Katherine May, 2020

English writer Katherine May’s beautiful and unintentionally but uncannily timely 2020 book is about what she calls “wintering,” a way to weather tough periods when you feel cut off, sidelined or overwhelmed. Brought low by a perfect storm of personal challenges, May learns to slow down, hibernate and regroup. She becomes convinced that the cold has healing powers and explores how other creatures and cultures cope with the dark, frigid season. She takes up ice swimming, cradles an amazingly soft hibernating dormouse and considers the profusion of wolves and snow in fairy tales. May finds solace in her explorations, and readers, especially in these trying times of social distancing, will too. Heller McAlpin, book critic

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For the fiction lovers

The Land in Winter, by Andrew Miller

The Land in Winter by Andrew Miller, 2025

There’s a storm beneath the somber surface of The Land in Winter, Andrew Miller’s 10th novel. The land is the rural West Country of England during the legendary Big Freeze of the early 1960s, when blizzards engulfed trains on their tracks and froze over rivers. The two young couples who anchor the book are, unsurprisingly, frozen too: a gentleman farmer uneasily married to a former nightclub hostess, and a posh doctor’s wife whose husband is conducting an affair with a patient. The action unfolds like a thaw, and by the end of this Booker-shortlisted novel, it feels as though the drama has soaked itself into your soul. — Neda Ulaby, correspondent, Culture Desk

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The Trouble Up North, by Travis Mulhauser

The Trouble Up North by Travis Mulhauser, 2025

Travis Mulhauser perfectly evoked northern Michigan, in all its beauty and icy menace, in his previous novel, Sweetgirl. He returns to the region in this book, which is just as accomplished as his last. The novel follows a family of bootleggers and smugglers whose criminal enterprise has fallen on tough times, leading one member of the clan to take matters into her own hands. This is a top-notch literary thriller that’s extremely difficult to put down. — Michael Schaub, book critic

The Frozen River, by Ariel Lawhon

The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon, 2023

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Dig your crime novels blanketed with a late 18th-century, New England snow? How about with a capable, middle-aged midwife in the role of detective, telling the men in power things they absolutely do not want to hear? This compelling story begins in a river community in Maine with a body frozen in the ice; it unspools with the alleged assault of a minister’s wife. This is a most uncozy mystery that addresses the unbalanced power dynamics of men and women, rich and poor. Bonus: The character of the midwife and some plot points are based on a real person, Martha Ballard. Not quite true crime but true enough! — Melissa Gray, senior producer, Weekend Edition

Every Reason We Shouldn't, by Sara Fujimura

Every Reason We Shouldn’t by Sara Fujimura, 2020

Olivia Kennedy is 15 going on 16 and the prodigal daughter of two Olympic figure skating darlings. A gold medal pairs skater at the junior level, Olivia no longer competes due to lack of funds and a crash-and-burn performance when she was 13. But things start looking up when short track speed skater Jonah Choi comes to town. The two bond immediately over mild teenage rebellions, workouts and the concept of being “normal.” They challenge each other because they know no other way – second best is not an option in the life of champions. — Alethea Kontis, author and book critic

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Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead: A Novel, by Olga Tokarczuk and translated by Antonia Lloyd-Jones

Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead: A Novel by Olga Tokarczuk, translated by Antonia Lloyd-Jones, 2019

I originally picked up this book just because of the title. Later, I heard that Olga Tokarczuk had won the (delayed) 2018 Nobel Prize for Literature, and it made total sense because this book (originally published in 2009, released in English translation in 2019) is both deeply strange and deeply personal – a kind of noir murder mystery with feminist, leftist, vegetarian and academic undertones. Gorgeously written and immediately engaging, it is a complicated story about deer, hunters, age, infirmity, chaos and William Blake, driven by the rigorously no-BS practicality of its elderly narrator, Janina Duszejko, who is trying to figure out who is murdering all the hunters in her small, snowbound Polish village, all while contemplating the greater mysteries of life, Poland and the universe in general. — Jason Sheehan, author and book critic

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And for the kids …

My Antarctica: True Adventures in the Land of Mummified Seals, Space Robots, and So Much More by G. Neri, illustrated by Corban Wilkin

My Antarctica: True Adventures in the Land of Mummified Seals, Space Robots, and So Much More by G. Neri, illustrated by Corban Wilkin, 2024

Take a trip to the coldest, windiest, highest and driest continent in the world. Here, young readers will find answers to every question they’ve ever had about Antarctica – not to mention ones they hadn’t even thought to ask. Who is there now? Why? What do you eat when you’re there? G. Neri’s easygoing narrative reads like a journal, full of cartoons, photos and the occasional mummified seal. Plus, he profiles the many different scientists at work at McMurdo Station with humor, candor and wonder. Just be ready for one inevitable question after reading this book: “Can we go?” (For ages 7 to 10) — Betsy Bird, librarian and author of POP! Goes the Nursery Rhyme

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Ten Ways To Hear Snow by Cathy Camper, illustrated by Kenard Pak

Ten Ways to Hear Snow by Cathy Camper, illustrated by Kenard Pak, 2020

A gentle, affirmative story of a little girl’s winter walk through her neighborhood to visit a beloved grandmother. Lina is Lebanese American, she addresses her grandmother as “Sitti” and the two joyously cook stuffed grape leaves together. But the story’s focus is on Lina’s independence and connection to the sensory magic of a snowy day. Author Cathy Camper humorously evokes the “snyak, snyek, snyuk” of a child’s boots “crunching snow into tiny waffles” and the “scraaape, scrip, scrape” of shovels against the sidewalk. Kenard Pak’s softly saturated watercolors evoke winter’s diffused light and vivid pop of children’s mittens and hats, making cold days something to savor. (For ages 4 to 8) — Neda Ulaby, correspondent, Culture Desk

Wolf In The Snow, by Matthew Cordell

Wolf in the Snow by Matthew Cordell, 2017

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As every schoolchild knows, little girls in red-hooded outerwear rarely fare well when encountering wolves in the wild. Yet in this nearly wordless tale, a girl’s meeting with a wayward wolf cub fuels a wary friendship that transcends their very different worlds. From the hyperrealism of the wolves, frightening in their detail, to the sketched-out, almost cartoonish, rendering of the girl, Matthew Cordell offers young readers a dreamy fable with a lot to say about making connections outside your comfort zone. (For ages 4 to 8) — Betsy Bird, librarian and author of POP! Goes the Nursery Rhyme

Toys Meet Snow by Emily Jenkins, illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky

Toys Meet Snow by Emily Jenkins, illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky, 2015

Whether you’re already acquainted with Lumphy, StingRay and Plastic from their chapter books, or are just meeting them now, you’re sure to love Toys Meet Snow. As the three venture out into the snow for the first time, their unique personalities shine through. Each toy’s impressions and observations are full of imagination and charm. Emily Jenkins’ masterful text is deceptively simple, and Paul O. Zelinsky’s warm and wonderful illustrations make this book an enchanting read for all seasons. (For ages 3 to 7) — Lisa Yee, author of “The Misfits” series

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Photos: How overfishing in Southeast Asia is an ecological and human crisis

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Photos: How overfishing in Southeast Asia is an ecological and human crisis

Various species of sharks — some of which are endangered, while others are listed as vulnerable — are hauled on shore at dawn at the Tanjung Luar port on June 9, 2025, in East Lombok, Indonesia. Tanjung Luar is one of the largest shark markets in Indonesia and Southeast Asia, from where shark fins are exported to other Asian markets — primarily Hong Kong and China — and their bones are used in cosmetic products also sold to China.

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“We were fighting over who had caught more fish, and then I saw my crewmate pushed overboard by the captain,” Akbar Fitrian, 29, an Indonesian crewmember says as he recounts an incident aboard a Chinese-owned fishing vessel in 2022. “The ship then started to drive away as my crewmate tried to swim towards us. And then I don’t know what happened. The captain never reported the incident.”

The seas of Southeast Asia — home to some of the richest in biodiversity in the world — have long been in decline. Since the 1950s, the Center for Strategic and International Studies estimates that 70-95% of fish stocks have been depleted and are at risk of collapse, perpetuated by the rise of industrial-scale fishing, much of which is illegal. Legal overfishing is another factor, and both are propped up by weak regulations, insufficient monitoring and insatiable demand. Approximately half of the world’s global marine fish catch comes from the seas of Southeast Asia, according to the U.N., and it comes at a calamitous cost.

In the United States, approximately 50% of the imported seafood comes from Asia, with nearly $6.3 billion in trade coming from China, Vietnam, Indonesia and India alone, according to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

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Behind the illicit seafood trade is an opaque world standing at the crossroads of intertwining issues. There is the legacy of brutal human rights violations that have enabled sea slavery to become the norm. Those involved in the efforts of organizations like the international Freedom Fund and Thailand’s Labour Protection Network, which work to end modern-day slavery in the region, say many workers are murdered at sea, abused and often brought into a cycle of debt bondage.

There is the lawless nature of the seas, which has emboldened traffickers to exploit desperate fishermen and impoverished casual laborers. Then there are the geopolitical factors at play: In a race to dominate the seas, China and, to a lesser extent, Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan and Malaysia have all built outposts and bases on shoals, reefs and atolls. Fishing fleets — of which China has the largest in the world — are fast becoming more militarized as a result.

All of this has imposed a heavy cost on unique ecosystems and led to devastating socioeconomic impacts on artisanal and small-scale fishers.

Three countries illustrate the intersectional nature of overfishing:

Thailand

Fishing vessels are seen docked together at a landing site in Chumphon, Thailand, on Wednesday, January 22, 2025.

Fishing vessels are seen docked together at a landing site in Chumphon, Thailand, on Jan. 22, 2025.

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“Fish were in abundance before,” says Mimit Hantele, 53, a member of the Urak Lawoi tribe on the island of Koh Lipe in Thailand. “But now, the fishing season is a lot shorter, the variety of fish is far fewer, and I sell less. So I take tourists out on scuba expeditions to earn money.”

For generations, the Urak Lawoi plied the rich waters around them for sustenance. Sea gypsies in a time past, the villagers evolved to rely only on what they could catch and used simple fishing equipment cast from small wooden boats.

Then, in the 1970s, came the big Thai and Malaysian fishing boats. Fishermen on Koh Lipe say the boats fish illegally around the island, appearing only at night to escape detection and in a protected national forest area. The ships use purse seiner nets and demersal trawlers, destroying the coral underneath and, consequently, the habitat for fish. Such overexploitation has led the Indigenous group to turn to tourism to make up for lost income and declining fish stocks. “Fishing is in our blood,” Hantele said, but “our way of life has changed. We can’t rely only on the fish.”

Frozen Spanish mackerel and other species of fish are seen in the cold storage of a facility owned by a Thai family of commercial fishers, in Samut Sakhon, Thailand, on Wednesday, January 15, 2025.

Frozen Spanish mackerel and other species of fish in cold storage in Samut Sakhon, Thailand, on Jan. 15, 2025.

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Fishermen mend nets in Samut Sakhon, Thailand, on Wednesday, January 15, 2025.

Fishermen mend nets in Samut Sakhon, Thailand, on Jan. 15, 2025.

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Small scale artisanal fishermen shake sardines from the nets to gather them en masse, after returning to shore with their catch, in the Gulf of Thailand, off the coast of Prachuab, Thailand, on Monday, January 20, 2025.

Small-scale artisanal fishermen shake sardines from nets to gather them en masse after returning to shore with their catch, in the Gulf of Thailand, off the coast of Prachuap, Thailand, on Jan. 20, 2025.

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According to a 2001 report from the U.N., roughly 80% of fishers in Southeast Asia at the time were small-scale or artisanal, relying on traditional practices. However, declining nearshore fish stocks have forced many artisanal fishers to venture farther from shore in search of commercially valuable species. Added to that are government subsidies for fuel and tax breaks for commercial fishing vessels, which have propped up the seafood industry. Rapid advancement in maritime technology has made fleets far more effective at finding rich hunting grounds while avoiding detection by switching off their monitoring systems.

Oranee Jongkolpath, 30, a veterinarian at Thailand's Marine and Coastal Resources Research and Development Center in Rayong province, prepared to clean a hawksbill turtle with a double amputation in Prasae, Thailand, on Saturday, January 18, 2025. The injured hawksbill turtle was found by fishermen in a garbage patch, and was likely entangled in ghost nets - fishing nets lost or discarded by fishermen - causing severe damage to its two front flippers.

Oranee Jongkolpath, 30, a veterinarian at Thailand’s Department of Marine and Coastal Resources’ research and development center in the Rayong province, prepares to clean a hawksbill turtle in Prasae, Thailand, on Jan. 18, 2025. The turtle was found by fishermen in a garbage patch and was likely entangled in ghost nets — fishing nets that are lost or discarded by fishermen — that had caused severe damage to its two front flippers.

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A seafood merchant displayed dried seahorses for sale, at a landing site in Chumphon, Thailand, on Wednesday, January 22, 2025. Dozens of countries around the world are involved in the dried seahorse trade, with Thailand, the Philippines, Vietnam, and India being the largest exporters. As the trade of seahorses, typically used for traditional medicines, has sharply increased, the seahorse catch has declined over time. Seahorses are a protected species and are listed on the CITES Appendix II.

A seafood merchant displays dried seahorses for sale in Chumphon, Thailand, on Jan. 22, 2025. Dozens of countries around the world are involved in the dried seahorse trade, with Thailand, the Philippines, Vietnam and India being the largest exporters. As the trade of seahorses, which are typically used for traditional medicines, has sharply increased, the seahorse catch has declined over time. Seahorses are among the species protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.

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Lax regulations on the most destructive types of fishing, particularly demersal trawling and cyanide fishing, the capture of juvenile fish that prevents the replenishment of stocks, the poor oversight of labor laws and the exploitation of workers desperate to earn a living have all contributed to the devastating knock-on effects for communities along coastlines and the potentially irreversible environmental consequences.

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Members of a crew working on a Thai fishing vessel, who are mostly from Myanmar, prepared to show their documents to Port In Port Out inspectors after returning to shore to ensure all members were present, at a landing site in Chumphon, Thailand, on Wednesday, January 22, 2025. Port In Port Out (PIPO) inspection centers were set up in 2018 following an outcry in the international community over Thailand’s gross human rights abuses in its fishing industry. The purpose of PIPO inspectors is to monitor Thai fishing vessels, in order to curb exploitation of workers and migrant laborers by doing crew check lists, welfare checks, investigating their working conditions, which includes human trafficking and forced labor indicators. Some rights advocacy groups who have investigated the workings of PIPO have criticized their effectiveness in combating substandard work conditions, which have led to the deaths and injuries of several migrant fishermen.

Members of a crew working on a Thai fishing vessel, most of whom are from Myanmar, prepare to show their documents to Port In Port Out (PIPO) inspectors in Chumphon, Thailand, on Jan. 22, 2025. PIPO inspection centers were set up in 2018, following an outcry in the international community over Thailand’s gross human rights abuses in its fishing industry.

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A Burmese dock worker sorted different fish species after a catch from a Thai vessel was unloaded at a landing site in Ranong, Thailand, on Thursday, January 23, 2025.

A Burmese dock worker sorts fish after a catch from a Thai vessel was unloaded in Ranong, Thailand, on Jan. 23, 2025.

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In Thailand last year, artisanal fishermen held protests over the rollback of major fisheries reforms implemented a decade ago that had helped to rebuild fish stocks in Thai waters. Thai corporations, which own a significant share of commercial fishing vessels, pushed the government to deregulate the fishing industry to increase their profits. Protestors focused on their concerns that relaxing the rules would revive illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and lead to increased overfishing. The rollbacks, they argued, would reduce transparency and accountability across the industry and reduce checks on gear and labor. Less transparency would lead to less knowledge about what is left in the sea. In turn, sustainability decreases, hurting artisanal fishers who depend on the sea for sustenance and livelihoods.

The Philippines

Filipino fishermen unload catches of Yellowfin tuna, Bigeye tuna, and Blue Marlin, after being at sea for approximately one month, at General Santos fish port, the Philippines, on Wednesday, May 21, 2025. General Santos is known as the Philippines’ tuna capital and hub for tuna fishing and exports of the products. 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.

Filipino fishermen unload Yellowfin tuna, Bigeye tuna and blue marlin at a fish port in General Santos, the Philippines, on May 21, 2025.

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The first time Donald Carmen was harassed by Chinese boats off the coast of Palawan was in December 2024. The following February, they harassed him and another fisherman again, getting close enough to hit their outriggers. “They forced us to move away and recorded us with cell phones and cameras. I have been fishing in this area since 2016, and back then, everyone was free to fish. I would catch 400-500 kilograms of fish in a night, about 60 nautical miles offshore. Now, because I don’t dare venture out as far, I’m lucky if I catch 200-300 kilograms over three days,” Carmen said as he steered his banca just weeks later, on the lookout for Chinese fishing boats and militia.

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A drone image of the shoreline in Rizal, Palawan, the Philippines on Wednesday, May 28, 2025. Many fishermen here have lost more than half their incomes because of harassment by Chinese ships, limiting the distances they can go out to sea to fish for specific species. Many filipino commercial and small-scale fishers are being chased or hassled by Chinese Coast Guard, Navy, and militia ships while out at sea. Previously, attacks or harassment in this area did not exist, but was well-documented in other areas. Since August 2024, incidences of harassment have started and increased since. Many Filipino fishermen believe that the Chinese are now moving to build outposts in the nearby Sabina Shoal to dominate both trade routes and the fishing industry. For many fishermen, it means losing half or more of their income, forcing many to quit or to turn to agriculture on land to make up for the shortfall.

A drone shot of the shoreline in Rizal, Palawan, the Philippines, on May 28, 2025. Many fishermen here have lost more than half their incomes because of harassment by Chinese ships, limiting the distances they can go out to sea to fish for specific species.

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Fisherman Vincent Gehisan, 36, seen at home with his family members in Quezon, Palawan, the Philippines, on Saturday, May 24, 2025. Vincent was hassled and detained for nearly a day at sea by Chinese Coast Guard and Navy ships while out on a resupply mission the year before, and is now afraid to venture far from the Filipino shore to fish.

Vincent Gehisan, 36, enjoys a meal at his home in Quezon, Palawan, the Philippines, on May 24, 2025. Gehisan was hassled and detained for nearly a day at sea by Chinese Coast Guard and navy ships while out on a resupply mission the year before and now says he’s afraid to venture far from Filipino shores to fish.

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People sang karaoke at a local bar whose clientele are mainly fishermen on their days off, near the main fish port complex in General Santos, the Philippines, on Wednesday, May 21, 2025. Areas around fish ports are usually filled with small restaurants, bars, karaoke and pool cafes, and brothels, catered towards the fishermen who come back on shore for a short break. General Santos is known as the Philippines’ tuna capital and hub for tuna fishing and exports of the products. 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.

People sing karaoke on May 21, 2025, at a local bar near the main fish port complex in General Santos, the Philippines, where the clientele are mainly fishermen on their days off.

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Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing is inextricably linked to the geopolitical struggle for maritime dominance in the South China Sea. Over the past two decades, China has rapidly scaled up its fishing militias in a race to assert control over a vast area while trying to meet the country’s insatiable demand for seafood. Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Taiwan have followed suit on a much smaller scale.

The South China Sea — or the East Sea, as Vietnam calls it, and the West Philippine Sea, as it’s known in the Philippines — is one of the world’s most strategic waterways. China’s use of its fishing fleet to control trade routes and dominate territory to create maritime buffer zones threatens the food security and livelihoods of fishers in the region.

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Family members of Filipino fishermen placed bait on fishing lines ready to be used, in Quezon, Palawan, the Philippines, on Saturday, May 24, 2025.

Family members of Filipino fishermen place bait on fishing lines in Quezon, Palawan, the Philippines, on May 24, 2025.

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Filipino small-scale fishermen unloaded their catch of the day at General Santos fish port, the Philippines, on Thursday, May 22, 2025. General Santos is known as the Philippines’ tuna capital and hub for tuna fishing and exports of the products. 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.

Small-scale Filipino fishermen unload their catch a fish port in General Santos, the Philippines, on May 22, 2025. The city is known as the Philippines’ tuna capital and hub for tuna fishing and products exports.

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While Chinese aggression has persisted for years in areas off Zambales, a province of the Philippines, it has only recently affected waters off the coast of Rizal in Palawan, as China is believed to be building up its presence in the Sabina and Bombay shoals, much closer to the Filipino coast — encroaching on the Philippines’ claim to the Kalayaan Island Group — from its original areas of claim like the Spratly Islands and the Scarborough Shoal. Among some of the tactics used by Chinese fishing militias to deter fishermen are water cannons, using swarming and encircling techniques, military-grade lasers and ramming fishing boats to intimidate and drive them from fishing grounds.

As countries in the region militarize their fishing fleets, the cost will ultimately be detrimental to ecological sustainability and geopolitical stability.

Indonesia

Indonesian fishermen unloaded various types of species including sharks and wedgefish, which are one of the most threatened species, in Tegal, Indonesia, on Friday, June 13, 2025.

Indonesian fishermen unload various species, including sharks and wedgefish, which are one of the most threatened, in Tegal, Indonesia, on June 13, 2025.

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In Indonesia, poverty, lack of opportunities and desperation have pushed thousands of Indonesian men into trafficking circles, while others are lured by the promises of a well-paid job in the construction or service industries before being put aboard a fishing vessel unbeknownst to them. Patima Tungpuchayakul, the founder of Thailand’s Labour Protection Network, says hundreds of fishermen go missing from commercial vessels each year, and many more are brutalized while facing appalling conditions and inhumane, unsanitary conditions on board, often at the mercy of the captain or the ship’s owners.

Labor rights activists at the Migrant Resource Center in Pemalang, Indonesia, fishermen and a widow of a woman still fighting for compensation after her husband’s death say agencies in central Java are adept at recruiting Indonesian crew to work primarily on Chinese fishing vessels, entrapping them in a cycle of debt bondage and, in many cases, effectively enslaving them at sea. Workers are not offered compensation for death or injuries unless they or their families were aware of what kind of insurance the vessel owner had for them. In the worst circumstances, they face brutal working conditions and 16- to 22-hour workdays and are often subject to physical violence.

Fish mongers gathered to sell the catch brought in at dawn by local fishermen at the Tanjung Luar port on Monday, June 9, 2025, in East Lombok, Indonesia.

Fishmongers gather to sell the catch brought in at dawn by fishermen at the Tanjung Luar port on June 9, 2025, in East Lombok, Indonesia.

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A drone image showing the largest commercial fish port in Indonesia, Muara Angke, where hundreds of commercial fishing vessels are docked, in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Sunday, June 15, 2025.

A drone image of the largest commercial fish port in Indonesia, Muara Angke, where hundreds of commercial fishing vessels are docked, in Jakarta, Indonesia, on June 15, 2025.

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Tofa S, 29, a fisherman who recounted his stories of working on a Chinese-owned commercial fishing vessel, posed for a photo in Pemalang, Indonesia, on Friday, June 13, 2025. Both Tegal and Pemalang are known as hubs for recruiting laborers who then work on commercial fishing vessels for Chinese, Taiwanese, and Korean companies.

A fisherman poses for a photo in Pemalang, Indonesia, on June 13, 2025. Both Tegal and Pemalang are known as hubs for recruiting laborers who then work on commercial fishing vessels for Chinese, Taiwanese and Korean companies.

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Southeast Asia is still a hub for slave labor, primarily in Thailand and Indonesia, where the seafood trade contributes much of the tuna, shrimp and trash fish used for fishmeal to the supply chains of major retailers and pet food brands in the U.S. and Europe.

“There is now less physical violence and coercion — but coercion is now more debt-based,” says Rosia Wongsuban, a program advisor at the Freedom Fund, a nonprofit working to end modern-day slavery. “Working conditions are the same. Because of a labor shortage, there aren’t enough workers to operate on vessels, and then the crew needs to take the extra burden.”

“In order to work on the fishing vessel, which was Chinese-owned, I was given a loan of 4 million Rupiah,” Akbar Fitrian, 29, a fisherman interviewed in Jakarta, explains. “1 million went to paying for fishing equipment, and then I had to work until I paid back the other 3 million. Sometimes, I had to keep borrowing more to continue working to pay off the initial loan. Sometimes I would only end up with enough salary to buy cigarettes. Sometimes I went into the red.”

Anis Khuprotin, 28, at the gravesite of her husband, Muhammed Nur, in Tegal, Indonesia, on Friday, June 13, 2025. Anis’s husband died on board a commercial fishing vessel after a piece of equipment came loose and struck him in the head. Staff members from the recruiting agency which hired her husband, told her he had died of a heart attack instead of admitting the truth, in an attempt to avoid paying insurance fees to the family. Anis found the truth out after a crew member, who was a friend of Muhammed’s, sent a video of him bleeding from head and nose, but still alive, and explained that the captain refused to radio the water police to send a helicopter to evacuate him. By the time the ship reached shore, it was too late to save Muhammed.

Anis Khuprotin, 28, rests her head on the gravesite of her husband, Muhamad Nur, in Tegal, Indonesia, on June 13, 2025. Anis’ husband died on board a commercial fishing vessel after a piece of equipment came loose and struck him in the head. Staff from the recruiting agency the hired her husband told her he died of a heart attack instead of admitting the truth in an attempt to avoid paying insurance fees to the family.

Nicole Tung/Fondation Carmignac


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Indra, 28, who declined to provide his last name, dressed as a clown and played music in his neighborhood to earn some extra money, in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Saturday, June 14, 2025. Indra, who previously worked on a commercial fishing vessel, recounted harrowing experiences out at sea where he witnessed abuses of his fellow cremates. Since returning home, Indra has refused to sign up for another job on a commercial fishing vessel, but has limited opportunities owing to the lack of a school degree. He is currently working in a warehouse packing boxes, and dresses as a clown in his neighborhood to earn income.

Indra, 28, who declined to provide his last name out of fear for his safety, dresses as a clown and plays music to earn some extra money in his neighborhood in Jakarta, Indonesia, on June 14, 2025. Indra, who previously worked on a commercial fishing vessel, recounted harrowing experiences at sea, where he said he witnessed abuses of his fellow cremates. Since returning home, he’s refused to sign up for another job on a commercial fishing vessel, but says he has limited opportunities owing to the lack of a school degree. He currently works in a warehouse, packing boxes, and dresses as a clown to earn extra income.

Nicole Tung/Fondation Carmignac

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Local fishermen played a card game on Maringkik Island on Tuesday, June 10, 2025, in East Lombok, Indonesia. Many locals are fishermen working on their own small-scale boats or work on commercial ships fishing for sharks between the Indonesian and Australian waters, bringing their catch to the nearby port of Tanjung Luar. Tanjung Luar one of the largest shark markets in Indonesia and Southeast Asia, from where shark fins are exported to other Asian markets, primarily Hong Kong and China, was bones are used in cosmetic products also sold to China. Shark meat and skins are consumed locally as an important source of protein. In recent years, facing heavy criticism because of the unregulated shark fishing industry, the Indonesian government has sought to bring in stricter controls over commercial hunting of sharks in an attempt to balance the needs of fishermen as well as the need to protect dwindling shark populations.

Fishermen play a card game on June 10, 2025, on Maringkik Island, off the caost of East Lombok, Indonesia.

Nicole Tung/Fondation Carmignac


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For the nearly 10 million people who rely on these fisheries for their livelihoods and source of protein, the future of Southeast Asia’s fisheries hangs in the balance, at the mercy of consumer demand and political will to enforce laws. The region faces not just ecological collapse, but deepening poverty, food insecurity and social instability if illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing continues unchecked. Overfishing occurs because high demand and global overconsumption for seafood far exceed the ocean’s ability to replenish itself. Growing markets — especially in China, the European Union and North America — have transformed fish and fish products into a highly profitable global commodity. Exports from Southeast Asia alone amount to over $5 billion worth of fish products to the United States each year, illustrating the scale of international trade. This demand fuels industrial-scale fishing operations such as bottom trawlers and purse seiners, which sweep through vast areas of ocean indiscriminately. Supported by government subsidies, these fleets prioritize maximum yield, even when fish stocks are already severely depleted.

But decline is not inevitable. With stronger regional cooperation, transparent supply chains, corporate accountability and informed consumer choices, Southeast Asia can reclaim stewardship over its waters. The survival of its fisheries — and of the communities that depend on them — hinges on decisions being made now, far from shore.

Various species of sharks, some of which are endangered, while others are listed as vulnerable, hauled on shore at dawn by commercial fishermen at the Tanjung Luar port on Tuesday, June 10, 2025, in East Lombok, Indonesia. Tanjung Luar is one of the largest shark markets in Indonesia and Southeast Asia, from where shark fins are exported to other Asian markets, primarily Hong Kong and China, was bones are used in cosmetic products also sold to China.

Various species of sharks — some of which are endangered while others are listed as vulnerable — are hauled on shore at dawn by commercial fishermen at the Tanjung Luar port on June 10, 2025, in East Lombok, Indonesia.

Nicole Tung/Fondation Carmignac


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This body of work, based on a nine-month-long investigation supported by the Fondation Carmignac, is on exhibit at the Bronx Documentary Center through April 26.

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Nicole Tung is a photojournalist working primarily in the Middle East and Asia. You can see more of her work on her website, NicoleTung.com, or on Instagram, at @nicoletung.

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Nine non-negotiable items for a well-designed life

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Nine non-negotiable items for a well-designed life

This story is part of Image’s April’s Thresholds issue, a tour of L.A. architecture as it’s actually experienced.

If you buy a product linked on our site, The Times may earn a commission. See all our Coveted lists of mandatory items here.

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Yont Studio, Brutalist Pink Vinyl Listening Station, price upon request

(Serdar Ayvaz / Yont Studio)

In the best version of my dreams, I am listening to my favorite records out of the Brutalist Pink Vinyl Listening Station from Berlin-based Yont Studio. The structure — built of foam that’s been reinforced with epoxy layers and finished in a gloss — hugs a Technics SL-1200 MK7 turntable while featuring a dedicated space for records and headphones, with an integrated amplifier and wheels. The baby pink colorway gives it a hard-soft quality that’s hard to match. yontstudio.com

Waka Waka, Double Cylinder Rocker, $3,600

Waka Waka, Double Cylinder Rocker

Designer Shin Okuda has described his design principle as such: “Minimum design. Conscious proportion.” The furniture from Okuda’s Los Angeles studio Waka Waka injects something deeply cool into the everyday. This rocking chair is equal parts dramatic and functional, featuring a stacked cylinder back, rocker frame and arm rests in a black glossy finish. (Other finishes include natural oil, white, pompeii red, indigo, grey, purple and forest green.) wakawaka.world

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Gambol Studio X Dusty Ansell, knives, $230

Gambol Studio X Dusty Ansell, knives

Every item in your home being beautiful and well-designed is a flex, down to your cheese knives. Designed by L.A. studio Gambol and handmade by folk artist Dusty Ansell in a set of three, these knives are made of curly maple and stainless steel, featuring etched artwork depicting a hand, arm and fish. gambol.studio

Schiaparelli, Pierced Mouth Bijoux Minaudière, $13,300

Schiaparelli, Pierced Mouth Bijoux Minaudière,

Every design-meets-fashion head’s dream is having a pierced mouth clutch molded out of a rigid wood, no? This minaudière from Schiaparelli features a gold-plated metal chain and rhinestone piercing, bringing the idea of a statement bag to levels unheard of. schiaparelli.com

Hannah Lim X Hugo Harris, Bat Shelf, price upon request

Hannah Lim X Hugo Harris, Bat Shelf

(Hannah Lim and Hugo Harris)

Operating as a functional sculpture, the Bat Shelf is a collaboration between London artists Hannah Lim and Hugo Harris. The piece takes inspiration from Chinese fretwork patterns, Art Noveau designs and German sculptor Hugo Leven’s iconic pewter bat candelabras. Cut and welded from 5mm aluminum, the Bat Shelf comes in a raw aluminum finish or a powder-coated red. hannah-lim.co.uk ; hugoharris.co.uk

Formas, Clear Special Vase by Gaetano Pesce, $650

Formas, Clear Special Vase by Gaetano Pesce

L.A. is so lucky to have Formas, a curated vintage and contemporary design store in the Arts District founded by Natalia Luna and Josh Terris. Formas’ collection is deep and well-researched, filled with rare furniture and design objects like this Clear Special Vase from iconic Italian architect and designer Gaetano Pesce. Handmade of flexible resin, each vase made in this series is a unique creation. formas.la

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Estudio Persona, Luna Table Lamp, $2,500

Estudio Persona, Luna Table Lamp

Estudio Persona, the L.A. studio run by Uruguayan design duo Emiliana Gonzalez and Jessie Young, is a living, breathing wishlist. Made of metal and hand-blown glass, this lamp is the place where angles meet curves — a timeless piece with a healthy dose of edge. estudiopersona.com

Alaïa, nylon Maxi Petticoat, $5,030

Model wearing Alaïa, nylon Maxi Petticoat.

When we think of an Alaïa piece we’re essentially thinking about shapes — of the body, of the clothes, of the shape made by the clothes on the body. This nylon Maxi Petticoat from the spring/summer 2026 collection, with its asymmetrical hemline and voluminous fit, is a kind of architecture, a way to build yourself into the world around you. maison-alaia.com

Loewe, Aire Sutileza Elixir Eau de Parfum 50Ml, $210

Image April 2026 Coveted

Image April 2026 Coveted

(Loewe Perfumes)

Loewe has added another perfume to its scent directory, and the sixth Elixir in a collection of fragrances that boast an intense concentration of essential oils created by the brand’s perfumer Núria Cruelles with the Spanish Rockrose in mind. The Aire Sutileza Elixir is floral, fresh and earthy, featuring notes of pear, lemon, jasmine sambac, vetiver, sandalwood and musk. perfumesloewe.com

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Sunday Puzzle: For Mimi

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Sunday Puzzle: For Mimi

Sunday Puzzle

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Sunday Puzzle

This week’s challenge

Today’s puzzle is a tribute to Mimi. Every answer is a familiar two word phrase or name in which each word starts with the letters MI-.

Ex. Assignment for soldiers –> MILITARY MISSION

1. Pageant title for a contestant from Detroit

2. One of the Twin Cities

3. Nickname for the river through New Orleans

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4. Super short skirt

5. Neighborhood in Los Angeles that contains Museum Row

6. Just over four times the distance from the earth to the moon

7. Goateed sing-along conductor of old TV

8. American financier who pioneered so-called “junk bonds”

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9. Little accident

10. Land-based weapon in America’s nuclear arsenal

11. In “Snow White,” the evil queen’s words before “on the wall”

Last week’s challenge

Last week’s challenge comes from Benita Rice, of Salem, Ore. Name a famous foreign landmark (5,4). Change the eighth letter to a V and rearrange the result to make an adjective that describes this landmark. What landmark is it?

Answer

Notre Dame –> Renovated

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Winner

Chee Sing Lee of Bangor, Maine

This week’s challenge

This week’s challenge comes from James Ellison, of Jefferson City, Mo. Think of a popular movie of the past decade. Change the last letter in its title. The result will suggest a lawsuit between two politicians of the late 20th century — one Republican and one Democrat. What’s the movie and who are the people?

If you know the answer to the challenge, submit it below by Thursday, April 23 at 3 p.m. ET. Listeners whose answers are selected win a chance to play the on-air puzzle.

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