Fishermen accuse foreigners of depleting coastal waters

Large foreign ships are harassing and intimidating Somali fishermen around the southern coastal towns of Marka and Barawe, according to local fishermen.

Marka fisherman Mahmud Kulow Aweys told IRIN on Wednesday that many of the ships were fishing in Somali waters illegally.

"We see them on a daily basis, a few miles off our shores," he said. "Local fishermen usually go out late at night to set their nets, but subsequently we find that the crews of some of the ships have cut the nets. Some of them even try to ram our boats."

He claimed that some of the foreign vessels had arms and occasionally opened fire on Somali fishing boats. There have been reports that some Somali faction leaders have licensed foreign fishery companies and provide armed militiamen to go on board the ships.

Kulow said that so far none of the Somali fishermen had been hurt, but warned that "it is only a matter of time before serious damage is inflicted".

"Until recently they would let us fish in peace, but now they are becoming increasingly aggressive," he added.

He said the foreign ships were now fishing in southern Somali waters after some vessels were hijacked off the coast of Puntland, northeastern Somalia. "They are afraid to go to Puntland so they come here," he said.

Kulow also accused the foreign ships of dumping rubbish and oil into the sea which, he said, drove the fish away.

He stressed that the ships were destroying the livelihood of Somali fishermen and their families. "If nothing is done about them, there soon won't be much fish left in our coastal waters," he warned.

Kulow said that because there was no government in Somalia strong enough to stop this phenomenon, "we want the United Nations and other international agencies to help us".