Etim Akan has been fishing since midnight, but his net is still empty after seven hours at sea. Artisanal fishermen in Cameroon say their catches are getting smaller. It’s now very difficult to catch even a single fish. Many boats return almost empty, making it hard for fishers to earn money.
These local fishermen are struggling as foreign vessels flood the ocean. They say there’s unhealthy competition just off Cameroon’s shores. Chinese vessels and others fish massively, including for prawns, without stopping to allow fish to reproduce. Back on the seashore, people rush to buy the catch, but most boats come back almost empty. Kongolo Robert has been a fisherman for 35 years, but business is slower than ever. He blames unregulated fishing for the decline.
The government tells us which nets to use, but foreigners don’t follow the guidelines. They use wrong nets that kill even small fish, affecting reproduction. We complained to the government, but they don’t take proper action. Foreigners bribe authorities, and our complaints are ignored. Last year, the European Union banned imports of fishery products from Cameroon due to illegal fishing. Cameroon loses more than $30 million annually from illegal maritime fishing and imports around $160 million worth of fish each year. Many fish traders report being put out of business due to the scarcity of fish. Chinese trawlers continue to fish in areas reserved for small-scale fishermen. When Chinese see you at sea and want to seize your net, the army protecting them shows up with guns. The soldiers start shooting, so you must get away quickly. If a fisherman is killed, no one is held accountable. It’s a loss for the fisherman’s family. Attacks at sea are common, and if you speak about it to authorities, nothing happens.
The most senior government official in charge of fisheries denies all claims made by fishermen. He says some artisanal fishers and foreign boats have been found in violation of regulations. Control is being done at all levels to combat illegal fishing. Yes, Cameroon is in the red zone, but we are fighting to move to the yellow zone and not the green zone. Presently, there is control in the sea with spot surveillance without prior notice. Etim is back from the ocean with not enough fish. Like other artisanal fishermen in the region, he doesn’t have much hope for the future if things stay like this.