The African fishermen who blame Chinese trawlers for their woes

West Africa remains the global epicentre for illegal fishing. An estimated 40% of the world’s unlicensed catch can be traced to its waters, according to a 2024 global report., external

The study estimated that this costs West African nations a combined $10bn in lost revenues, and risks the food security of millions of people. Commentators say that the situation has not improved in the subsequent two years.

Thomas Turay, president of Sierra Leone’s Fishermen’s Union, says that the average catches for his members are down some 40% in recent years. And he’s in no doubt where the blame lies.

“The illegal fishing is too much,” he says. “The sea belongs to us, but for the foreign trawlers, they come at night and violate the seven-mile exclusion zone, they come right into the shore here.”

As we talk in Tombo harbour close to Freetown, he points out to a few large trawlers on the horizon. The vessels anchor outside the exclusion zone he says, but will come in almost every night.

He then introduces me to a group of fishermen, many of whom have a story to tell.

Abou Waisissé, 70, describes an attack in which he says multiple small, local fishing boats saw their nets cut. Mohamedi Kamara, 55, tells me that a large, international trawler damaged his craft in a collision.