In the fishing village of Karranah on the north coast of Bahrain, 72-year-old Haji Saeed, one of the community’s oldest fishermen, wades through the low tide to check his traps.
Twenty years ago, the sea in front of him was home to an abundance of local fish, including hamour, a type of cod, and safi, a rabbitfish; he could easily catch over 100 kilograms (220 pounds) in a day.
Then, the Bahrain government built two artificial islands that altered the seabed, driving fish populations away from the shallow coastal waters.
When he returns to shore, Saeed has collected barely more than three kilos (6.6 pounds) of fish from his five traps, called hadrahs. The next day, he collects only three fish weighing just half a kilogram, slightly more than one pound.
“It’s been like this ever since the islands were made,” he says. “Before, we could fish all over the place … . Now it is not giving us enough income.”
Fishing could become even more challenging as this Persian Gulf nation of 1.8 million people prepares to build five new artificial islands containing five new cities by the end of the decade. Combined, the islands will increase the landmass of this tiny nation by 60 percent. While government officials say the addition of new real estate is central to Bahrain’s economic development, building the islands also carries significant environmental costs in a part of the world where marine life is already struggling to adapt to climate change and survive.