Trouble in Tombo
Locals fear 'dark future' over illegal overfishing in Sierra Leone
As the sun beats down on the bustling waterfront of Tombo, the fishermen of Sierra Leone's largest fishing port are struggling.
Tombo, 40km south of Freetown, was once a thriving coastal town where fishermen could earn a decent living.
But fish populations are dwindling, seven years on from a yellow card warning issued by the European Commission against Sierra Leone for its lack of action to control illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.
In 2018, President Julius Maada Bio said IUU fishing was costing the country $50 million a year. Authorities have since stepped up efforts to arrest crews of fishing vessels operating without a licence.
Locals blame the drop in fish stocks on these giant industrial fleets from the Far East that trawl the country's Inshore Exclusion Zone, which is reserved for traditional fishermen.
Locals say industrial fishing has greatly affected their livelihoods
Industrial fishing is leading to a drop in fish supplies for communities, putting jobs at risk and causing irreparable damage to the seabed, prompting many to fear for the future.
Wudie Bakie Koroma, 46, has been fishing in Tombo for 20 years and said many feel helpless as the situation appears to worsen every day.
Fishermen repair damaged nets in Tombo, Sierra Leone
Fishermen repair damaged nets in Tombo, Sierra Leone
"Every day the catch is depleting," said Mr Koroma, who represents the Sierra Leone Artisanal Fishermen Union.
"We used to have around 54 types of fish in these waters, but we do not get anywhere near the amount of fish we caught before."
Mr Koroma told The National that local fishermen are unhappy with Chinese trawlers coming into the Inshore Exclusion Zone, which has led to an exodus of young people keen to find work.
Barracuda caught hours earlier are prepared for sale at Tombo market
Barracuda caught hours earlier are prepared for sale at Tombo market
"It is causing a lot of destruction to the seabed and pollution, with the fishing nets left behind."
In 2022, the Chinese embassy said five Chinese fishing enterprises with about 40 vessels were licensed to operate in Sierra Leone following a 2017 agreement between the two countries.
The pact generated millions of dollars for the local economy and created thousands of jobs, according to Du Zijun, the economic and commercial counsellor of the Chinese embassy in Freetown.
Children wait eagerly to find out what the fishermen have caught
Children wait eagerly to find out what the fishermen have caught
But people in Tombo say the rise in international competition is driving locals away.
"The opportunity for young people to become fishermen is becoming more remote, so we are seeing a lot of migration from this fishing community," said Mr Koromo.
"People are leaving Tombo to find work."
Fishing is a lifeline for the people of Tombo
Traditional fishing is critical to Sierra Leone, with the daily catch accounting for up to 80 per cent of animal protein consumed in the country.
According to the Environmental Justice Foundation, small scale fishing communities like those in Tombo employ about 230,000 people.
Fishermen blame reduced fish stocks in Sierra Leone on industrial fishing tankers from China and South Korea, which often trawl kilometres out to sea
Fishermen blame reduced fish stocks in Sierra Leone on industrial fishing tankers from China and South Korea, which often trawl kilometres out to sea
It is a particularly vital industry for women, many of whom run fish-smoking co-operatives and take the daily catch to market.
According to the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources, foreign trawlers illegally operating in the IEZ cost Sierra Leone about $29 million a year.
Concern for future generations
as fish stocks dwindle
Lansana Mansaray, 35, used to be a fisherman but left the Cockle Bay community near Freetown to become a filmmaker.
"Fish scarcity, illegal trawling from the Far East and the impact on livelihoods are an important topic," he told The National. He added that the community used to earn a decent living from fishing but now most of that has disappeared.
Families live in homes made from wood and corrugated metal, close to the shore
Families live in homes made from wood and corrugated metal, close to the shore
"Sierra Leone is still a very small country for the resources we have. We need to have better surveillance to enforce our laws."
Mr Mansaray said that he worries what the future will look like for the next generation of children.
"If we don't take active steps now to preserve what we have, the future will become very dark for us."
Words Nick Webster
Editor Jessica Morgan
Photos Nick Webster and Andy Scott
Photo Editor Olive Obina
Design Nick Donaldson
Graphics Roy Cooper
Sub Editor Joel Cooper
Producer Juman Jarallah
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