Name: Somali fishermen struggle as trawlers drain millions from coasts
Uploaded: 2025-11-27T16:40:46.175Z
Duration: 2 min 52 s
Description: Foreign trawlers deplete Somalia’s fish stocks despite a ban, harming livelihoods as weak enforcement fuels poverty.

Foreign trawlers deplete Somalia’s fish stocks despite a ban, harming livelihoods as weak enforcement fuels poverty.

Mogadishu

Somali fishermen are experiencing significant challenges due to declining fish stocks and competition from large, well-equipped foreign trawlers, many of which are accused of illegal fishing in Somali waters. Local catches are often insufficient, and without adequate cooling facilities, much of the fish spoils quickly, further reducing profits for fishermen and traders.

Authorities have introduced new fishing laws, strengthened naval patrols, and made arrests, but local industry continues to face obstacles such as lack of gear and falling fish prices. The government estimates the fishing sector could generate $1.8 billion annually, but enforcement of regulations remains a critical issue for realizing this potential.

Somali fishermen struggle as trawlers drain millions from coasts

Fishermen are coming back from the high seas. They're racing against time. Without cooling facilities, they only have a couple of hours before their catch goes bad. One of the stops, this fishing village, a short distance from Mogadishu. Mohamed Abdi hasn't caught as much as he'd hoped. Sadeq Mohamed Abdule has returned empty-handed. He says fish stocks are declining. There's a lot of illegal fishing and big fishermen with big vessels that take all the fish. They are well-equipped. We have nothing. We don't have proper equipment to catch the fish. Most of the catch doesn't make it to local shores. The government, maritime agencies and monitoring groups accuse vessels from China, Yemen, Iran and some European nations of stealing Somalia's fish. The country loses hundreds of millions of dollars a year to poaching. Somalia has the longest coastline on the continent. It also has some of the roughest waters which are good for fish. That's why international trawlers and others like fishing here. Much of the fish is traded illegally in the high seas. This is the main fish market in Mogadishu. It bustles with activity. Somalia's waters are a major tuna feeding ground. There are concerns that stocks of some subspecies like yellowfin tuna, one of the most commercially hunted, are declining. Global demand makes it a target for criminal networks. Illegal fishing has been going on for a long time. We are fighting with the poachers. We have a new fishing law. We have also sent messages to the governments that are involved. Most of them are willing to help. We are tracing the culprits. We are strengthening the Navy. We have made several arrests of illegal fishermen and some are in court. Local fishermen and traders say they have bigger problems, like a lack of gear, cold rooms and equipment to keep their catches fresh. Maria Mude has been in the business for years and says it's a constant struggle. A day ago, I bought a piece of fish for $4, but then the price went down, so I had to sell it for $1.5. And it keeps dropping until I can't make any money. The government says the industry has the potential to bring in $1.8 billion annually. The laws are in place, but fishermen say if they're not enforced, the figure is just a pipe dream.

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