The African fishermen who blame Chinese trawlers for their woes
Summary
Fishermen on Sherbo Island, Sierra Leone, say their fish catches have dropped a lot in recent years. They blame big foreign fishing boats, mostly Chinese, for fishing illegally close to shore and damaging their nets. Officials say they are trying to control illegal fishing with new rules and inspections.Key Facts
- Sherbo Island fishermen say their catches of fish like snapper and mackerel have gone down significantly.
- Local fishermen accuse foreign fishing ships, mainly Chinese trawlers, of entering restricted coastal waters illegally.
- Some fishermen say these ships cut their fishing nets at night, causing them financial loss.
- West Africa is reported to have about 40% of the world’s illegal fishing, costing countries around $10 billion.
- The President of Sierra Leone’s Fishermen’s Union says catches have dropped by about 40% due to illegal fishing.
- Local fishermen claim government officials do not help because of corruption and bribery by illegal operators.
- Sierra Leone’s Fisheries Ministry says they have introduced vessel tracking and inspectors to reduce illegal fishing.
- Despite the ministry’s efforts, fishermen continue to report problems with foreign trawlers.
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