Of all the kingdoms under the Kronos Kingdom's control, Fish-Man Island was undoubtedly the most tightly controlled.
Over ninety percent of Fish-Man Island's civilians worked for the Kronos Kingdom.
They worked at deep-sea amusement parks, taverns, casinos, and various establishments offering services unique to the deep sea.
They farmed pearls and produced deep-sea specialties, including the Fish-Man Island sweets beloved by the "Weather Queen," Charlotte Linlin.
There were even fish-man exploration teams dedicated to finding treasures hidden in the deep sea and excavating ships that had sunk to the seabed.
The sea was full of such wrecks.
Every so often, they made a substantial haul.
Their discoveries included Devil Fruits buried in the depths, lost to the sea for hundreds of years.
The Kronos Kingdom monopolized every distribution channel.
Everything they produced could only be sold to the Kronos Kingdom.
The Kronos Kingdom took the lion's share of the profits.
Suppose Fish-Man Island's total annual output was worth forty billion Beli.
In the Kronos Kingdom's hands, it could fetch an astronomical price of nearly three hundred billion Beli.
That meant almost ninety percent of the profits went to the Kronos Kingdom.
Yet Fish-Man Island's economy continued to flourish and grow.
Its people were thoroughly satisfied with the way things were.
Every year, the Mermaid Royal Palace also had to send the Kronos Kingdom an enormous sum exceeding the heavenly tribute.
Beyond that, the Kronos Kingdom supplied countless products from across the sea.
These goods drained the profits Fish-Man Island earned each year, leaving its people to continue working for the Kronos Kingdom.
Fish-Man Island was, in effect, an enormous cash cow, constantly being milked by the Kronos Kingdom.
Not only did it show no signs of malnutrition, but the more it was milked, the more it produced.
As the deep-sea