Heal the Oceans

A Trillionaire leaves her fortune to fight those harming the ocean.

In 2026, trillionaire tech mogul Amanda Morris, a reclusive pioneer of green energy, passed away unexpectedly. Her will stunned the world: her $1.2 trillion fortune was left to a coalition of American environmental groups—GreenWave, OceanGuard, and the Climate Vanguard—with one condition: the funds could only target non-American companies and operations harming the environment. Morris’s final message read, “Heal the planet, but start beyond your shores.”


The coalition, now flush with unprecedented resources, formed the Morris Earth Alliance (MEA). They zeroed in on one of the planet’s most pressing ecological crises: illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, particularly by Chinese fleets. These fleets, often state-subsidized, were notorious for overfishing, destructive bottom trawling, and operating in protected waters, decimating marine ecosystems across the Pacific, Indian, and Atlantic Oceans. The MEA saw this as their first battleground.


By 2027, the MEA deployed their fortune with surgical precision. They invested in cutting-edge technology: AI-driven satellite networks to track IUU vessels in real-time, drones for surveillance, and blockchain-based systems to trace fish from catch to market. They hired top international lawyers to exploit maritime laws and partnered with whistleblowers in Chinese ports to expose illegal operations. The MEA funded local NGOs in countries like Indonesia, Senegal, and Chile, empowering them to monitor and report violations in their waters.


Their first major target was the Shenlong Fleet, a massive Chinese fishing conglomerate linked to illegal catches in the South Pacific. Using Moriss’s funds, the MEA launched a global media campaign, broadcasting damning drone footage of Shenlong’s trawlers strip-mining coral reefs. They pressured seafood importers in Europe and Japan to blacklist Shenlong’s products, crippling its revenue. By 2029, Shenlong’s parent company faced international sanctions, and its ships were barred from several ports.


Escalation to Direct Action

The MEA’s early successes exposed a harsh reality: legal and economic pressure alone couldn’t stop the most brazen IUU fleets. Many operated under flags of convenience, dodging accountability in corrupt or complicit jurisdictions. By 2032, the MEA, radicalized by years of frustration, began funding covert operations. They trained elite teams—ex-Navy SEALs, marine biologists, and hackers—equipped with stealth vessels and EMP weapons to disable illegal ships without loss of life.


In a daring 2033 operation off the Galápagos Islands, MEA operatives intercepted the Haiwei-9, a notorious Chinese supertrawler caught poaching endangered species in a UNESCO marine reserve. Using EMP pulses, they disabled the ship’s electronics, leaving it dead in the water. A MEA drone fleet livestreamed the event, showing the world the illegal catch in its holds. The crew was detained by Ecuadorian authorities, and the ship was scuttled as an artificial reef after its fuel was safely removed. The operation, dubbed “Voss’s Hammer,” went viral, galvanizing public support but sparking diplomatic fury from Beijing.


Over the next decade, the MEA refined their tactics. They sank 47 IUU vessels—always after ensuring crew safety and documenting illegal activity—targeting only those operating in clear violation of international law. Each operation was meticulously planned to avoid escalation into broader conflict, though tensions with China simmered. The MEA’s legal teams worked overtime, defending their actions in international courts and leveraging Moriss’s fortune to settle disputes or sway governments.


Turning the Tide


By 2040, the MEA’s campaign had reshaped global fishing. Their tech exposed IUU fleets’ every move, making anonymity impossible. Their economic pressure bankrupted dozens of Chinese fishing giants, forcing Beijing to tighten regulations to avoid further international backlash. The MEA’s local partnerships empowered coastal nations to patrol their waters, while their media campaigns shifted consumer habits, slashing demand for unsustainably sourced seafood.


By 2045, illegal fishing had plummeted. The last major Chinese IUU fleet, the Donghai Collective, ceased operations after a MEA sting revealed its ties to government officials, triggering a rare internal crackdown. With IUU fishing nearly eradicated, marine ecosystems began to recover. Coral reefs in the Pacific showed signs of regrowth, fish stocks rebounded, and whale migrations surged. The MEA’s data showed a 30% increase in global ocean biomass by 2050.


Legacy of the Moriss Fortune


The MEA’s campaign wasn’t without cost. They faced lawsuits, cyberattacks, and accusations of eco-terrorism. Yet Moriss’s fortune—carefully managed and invested—sustained their work, funding rewilding projects and clean energy initiatives long after the fishing wars ended. The oceans, once on the brink, began healing, proving that a trillion dollars, wielded with relentless focus, could bend the arc of history toward restoration.