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| Last Updated: Jun 14, 2010 - 8:03:37 PM |
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Somali fishermen in great danger
27 Jan 27, 2010 - 1:04:29 AM
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Fishermen in Eyl, an ancient town in the northern Somalia’s Puntland state are voicing concerns over illegally fishing vessels that are looting natural resources and destroying thier equipments.
In an interview with Radio Garowe, Saed Waberi, one of fishermen in Eyl who claims to be a former pirate said his fishing equipments worth 3000 USD has been destroyed twice by the illegal fishing vessels.
He adds that the illegal fishing vessels fire heavy guns to the fishermen boats’, forcing them to abandon their lifetime livelihood for fear of their lives.
“The situation is really becoming worse because we can’t eve get our daily bread,” he noted.
The fisherman said some of the illegally fishing ships are using fishing methods, which destroy the coral reefs and considered illegal in the world.
Hassan Ahmed Saed, Eyl, another coastal village fisherman told Radio Garowe that the pirates, who shattered the image of the coastal with their illegal activities, left the district but the presence of anti-piracy naval force in the region have had huge impact of the fishing business.
Fishing boats from Yemen and Oman, which used to buy fish and other products from the Puntland coastal villages, have disappeared after they became target of foreign warships patrolling Somalia’s waters.
"We are now better off from the piracy problem like alcohol and Khat but another problem has emerged. It’s the well armed vessels which are looting and destroying Yemen boats that used to buy our products. They sacred them away" said Hassan Ahmed.
A woman who used to give the fishermen financial backings, especially in the selling of White sharks told Radio Garowe that all her equipments were destroyed by foreign vessels.
On the other hand, Puntland fishermen are complaining about the foreign warships, accusing them of not able to differentiate between honest fishermen and actual sea pirates.
Somali piracy started out as a response to the loss of access to the rich fishing grounds and emergence of illegal fishing trawlers which loot natural resources and destroy fishermen boats and equipments.
The recent spike in pirate attacks off the coast of Somalia has generated a great deal of international media attention, making them a household name across the globe. The pirates, in most of their interviews with the media, give accounts to the problems such as illegal fishing and toxic waste dumping that forced them to take arm.
GAROWE ONLINE
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