- Title: SOMALIA: Somali fishermen say poverty has driven many to piracy
- Date: 24th December 2008
- Summary: MOGADISHU, SOMALIA (DECEMBER 23, 2008) (REUTERS) SOMALI FISHERMEN PREPARING TO GO OUT TO SEA VARIOUS OF KANIYAH HASSAN, FISHERMAN WITH HIS CREW MEMBERS INDIAN OCEAN HASSAN FISHING HASSAN THROWING HIS FISHING NET INTO WATER BOAT ON WATER HASSAN AND HIS CREW COMING BACK TO BEACH HASSAN CARRYING HIS FISHING MATERIALS HASSAN GOING TO FISH MARKET CUSTOMERS NEGOTIATING PRICE OF FISH/ CUSTOMERS CHECKING IF FISH IS FRESH
- Embargoed: 8th January 2009 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Somalia
- Country: Somalia
- Topics: Crime / Law Enforcement
- Reuters ID: LVADSPEGN44I90LR610BALGXLK8O
- Story Text: Somali fishermen say with hardly any fish left in their waters, raking in millions of dollars in ransoms as a pirate in the Gulf of Aden has proved irresistible to many colleagues.
Fishing has been the livelihood of Kaniyah Hassan's family for generations. The 34-year-old Somali learned how to fish as a boy from his father. In those days, casting a net could trap several dozen fish at a time.
Today is very different, say the fishermen.
Fish stocks have been drastically reduced. Somali fishermen blame European fishing fleets illegally trawling Somali territorial waters for tuna and even more clandestine craft dumping deadly toxic waste.
Enraged by the depleting of fish stocks, some fishermen formed gangs that initially acted like an informal coast guard, but then turned into a dangerous and well organised network of pirates.
Scores of Somali pirate attacks this year have driven up shipping insurance costs, triggered millions of dollars in ransom payments and left about a dozen ships with nearly 300 crew members still held hostage.
Kaniyah Hassan says a fisherman's earnings are tiny compared to the money the pirates rake in, but it is a career change he is not willing to make.
"We used to earn 200,000 Somali shillings (6 USD) or 300,000 (9 USD) Somali shillings, but not now we earn 100 Somali shillings (less than one U.S. cent) or 120 Somali shillings, because of the situation at sea. But it depends on how a person can manage his daily income. Some fishermen want to spend a lot of money and I am not like that, so I am not going to be a pirate and I cannot steal from anybody," said Hassan.
The wave of anti-piracy efforts has brought even more vessels to the Gulf of Aden that is also making fishing difficult.
There are several international naval operations along the Horn of Africa, including a NATO mission to counter piracy, but they have done little to deter hijackers, who have been paid tens of millions of U.S. dollars in ransoms.
Early this month, the United Nations Security Council renewed its authorisation for countries to use military force against pirates.
Hassan says many fishermen are worried they could also be targets because the navy ships could mistake them for pirates.
"At night when we go out to the sea we meet with military warships. They use bright lights and patrol the Indian ocean. Sometimes they can even see into our boats because they pass so near our boat, but because they are military men using very high technology, they can see we have no weapons. They do not check on our boat but some times some forces check on our boats. So we are calling on foreign forces in our sea to know that we are there at night and we use small torches," said Hassan.
While warships from several nations are patrolling the seas off Somalia and escorting ships, analysts say the problem must be tackled on land as well for any lasting solution.
The weak Somali government says it does not have the resources to tackle the pirates.
Somalia is suffering a worsening humanitarian crisis. More than one million people have fled their homes as the country is convulsed by fighting between Ethiopian-backed government forces, Islamist insurgents and an assortment of warlords. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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