ALGERIA: Livelihood of traditional fishermen is threatened by sea pollution, overfishing and a lack of subsidies

Record ID: 573990

  • Title: ALGERIA: Livelihood of traditional fishermen is threatened by sea pollution, overfishing and a lack of subsidies
  • Date: 6th November 2009
  • Summary: DELLYS, ALGERIA, (RECENT) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF ANCIENT PORT OF DELLYS VARIOUS OF FISHERMEN PREPARING BAIT (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) TRADITIONAL FISHERMAN CHEKLATE MOHAMEDENCE SAYING: "We are lacking subsidies. Some of us put together files to take part in a project for youth employment, but that was five years ago and since then we have not received anything. It is true that some of us received a subsidy in 2003, but we got nothing after that." VARIOUS OF ANGLERS PUTTING BAIT IN NET BAGS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) TRADITIONAL FISHERMAN CHAABANE RACHID SAYING: "We do not have a future. There aren't enough fish. We don't have enough fish to be able to save money. For three months, because of the bad weather, we could not work at all because we don't have a port here." VARIOUS OF FISHERMAN RAFIK MESNASSE REMOVING FISH FROM NET (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) FISHERMAN RAFIK MESNASSE SAYING: "We don't catch enough fish because we don't have good equipment. Many things contribute to the lack of fish, for example pollution, and in the past, there were only five fishing boats, but as you see, today, there are fifty." FISHERMEN STRAIGHTENING OUT NET (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) FISHERMAN ALI SAYING: "Dellys exists on fishing. It is the only resource. There is nothing else but fishing. All of us are fishermen and it's been passed from father to son. We live for it. Nowadays, there aren't many fish. Industrial fishing has destroyed everything." FISHERMEN RETURNING TO PORT FISHERMAN HOLDING UP HIS CATCH FISHERMEN PUTTING FISH INTO BOX POURING WATER ON A BOX OF FISH VARIOUS OF YOUNG FISHERMAN TOBAL OMAR LOOKING OUT TO SEA SOUNDBITE (Arabic) FISHERMAN TOBAL OMAR SAYING: "We don't have anywhere to go from Dellys. We only have the sea. We don't have work. We don't have anything. I wish that they would sort out this port." VARIOUS OF MAYOR OF DELLYS RABAH ZEROUALI SPEAKING TO A FISHERMAN VIEW OF DELLYS PORT (SOUNDBITE) (French) MAYOR OF DELLYS RABAH ZEROUALI SAYING: "The council doesn't have the finances. We have a fund of no more than 1.5 million Algerian Dinars (about 21,110 US dollars) which is just to keep things going." FISHERMAN IN BOAT SORTING OUT NET SOUNDBITE (French) MAYOR OF DELLYS RABAH ZEROUALI SAYING: "We made a special request to the Wali and he visited us and gave a directive. So, the file is in the right hands. So we hope that something will be done in the near future." FISHERMEN AT SEA PULLING IN EMPTY NET FISHERMAN STEERING DINGHY BOATS MOTORING IN TO SHORE
  • Embargoed: 21st November 2009 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Algeria
  • Country: Algeria
  • Topics: Industry,Lifestyle
  • Reuters ID: LVA9BHGELIB68F0OXO16II8CZAO2
  • Story Text: The fishing port of Dellys, about 100 kilometres east of Algeria's capital, has existed for centuries and seen many a civilisation come and go.
    Founded over 2,000 years ago by the Phoenicians, the town was known as Rush-Uqerru or the 'Cape of Fish'. The Romans changed the name to Rusuccuru and later in medieval times, the town was renamed Tedelles.
    But one thing has never changed here and that is the town's reputation for fishing.
    These days however, the residents' traditional way of life is under threat and the port's infrastructure was abandoned ten years ago after falling into ruin.
    There are few other jobs in Dellys so families have been saving up to buy smaller boats to continue their fishing heritage.
    Thirty-year-old Cheklate Mohamedence has been a fisherman for 14 years and says makingmeet is getting harder and harder.
    "We are lacking subsidies. Some of us put together files to take part in a project for youth employment, but that was five years ago and since then we have not received anything. It is true that some of us received a subsidy in 2003, but we got nothing after that."
    Dellys's men get up early each morning to prepare bait for their nets, hoping that today's catch will be better than yesterday's.
    After 20 years on the seas, Chaabane Rachid is finding it tough to face the reality that soon his trade may not be sufficient to support his family.
    "We do not have a future. There aren't enough fish. We don't have enough fish to be able to save money. For three months, because of the bad weather, we could not work at all because we don't have a port here," he said.
    Rafik Mesnasse began fishing with his father when he was just 11 years old. He doesn't know any other life and doesn't have the skills or education to find another job. He says the problem is complex.
    "We don't catch enough fish because we don't have good equipment. Many things contribute to the lack of fish for example pollution and in the past, there were only five fishing boats, but as you see, today, there are fifty," he said.
    These days, Ali spends more time on shore than at sea. At 73, he remembers when these seas were full of fish and lobster, but now he can only look on as his sons return with little to show after a full day's work.
    "Dellys exists on fishing. It is the only resource. There is nothing else but fishing. All of us are fishermen and it's been passed from father to son. We live for it. Nowadays, there aren't many fish. Industrial fishing has destroyed everything," said Ali.
    Tobal Omar is 19 years old and hopes that things will improve.
    "We don't have anywhere to go from Dellys. We only have the sea. We don't have work. We don't have anything. I wish that they would sort out this port," Omar said.
    Dellys's mayor has been lobbying Algeria's authorities to try to get help and has been giving the fishermen regular updates.
    "The council doesn't have the finances. We have a fund of no more than 1.5 million Algerian Dinars (21,110 US dollars) which is just to keep things going," Mayor Rabah Zerouali told Reuters.
    "We made a special request to the Wali and he visited us and gave a directive. So, the file is in the right hands. So we hope that something will be done in the near future," he said.
    Fishermen here say they cannot give up their livelihoods because they have no alternative. Their only hope is that somehow their calls for help will soon be heard.
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