Fury over industrial fishing in The Gambia has escalated into violent confrontations, with local fishermen facing off against foreign trawlers accused of plundering the country's waters.
Gambian law requires foreign vessels to fish at least nine nautical miles offshore and to carry a percentage of local crew members. But reports indicate that many trawlers, particularly those operated by Chinese companies, routinely flout the rules sparking deadly clashes at sea.
In one such incident, Gambian seaman Kawsu Leigh suffered severe burns when locals attacked an Egypt-flagged trawler he worked on last year. "Seaman work is like prison, but we call it civilized prison. This job, no respect is there. We are going to risk our lives," Leigh told the Associated Press, adding that most of his earnings now go to treating his injuries.
The Association of Gambia Sailors, which provides crew for foreign trawlers, condemned the attacks. Its secretary general, Abdou Sanyang, described the situation as a "sea war" and suggested restricting artisanal fishing zones to prevent further clashes.
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But the Artisanal Fisheries Development Agency disagrees. Public relations officer Omar Gaye insists that local fishermen, who supply most of the domestic market, should not be restricted while industrial trawlers continue operating unchecked. "You cannot stop these small fishing boats while foreign trawlers are doing whatever they want," he said.
A video obtained by AP shows a foreign trawler chasing a small fishing canoe while crew members hurled rocks at it. More than 20 such videos have surfaced since 2023, with at least 11 fishermen killed in confrontations over the past 15 years.
Environmentalists warn that bottom trawling a practice used by many foreign vessels is destroying fish stocks and marine ecosystems. Lamin Jassey, president of the Gunjur Conservationists and Ecotourism Association, said the crisis threatens national food security. "The fisheries situation in The Gambia is very fragile. Fish is our economy, our livelihood and our right. The majority of Gambians, 99%, depend on fish because it's cheaper," he noted.
China, the world's worst illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing offender according to the IUU Fishing Risk Index, has long faced criticism in The Gambia. In 2021, protesters torched a Chinese-owned fishmeal factory accused of polluting local waters.
With livelihoods at stake and tensions rising, observers warn that unless stricter regulations are enforced on industrial fleets, The Gambia's "sea war" risks spiraling into a deeper national crisis.
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