Wind and waves do not stop Al-Faw fishermen from finding a livelihood

Basra -  INA

The city of Henna that sleeps on the waters of the Gulf to wake up early to the shouts of fishermen mobilizing their spirits to plough the sea and its waves in search of a livelihood, that is Al-Faw whose sons inherited the fishing profession from one generation to the next, they set off riding their boats, or (their dinghies) as they used to call them in the Basra dialect that they have become accustomed to.

A journey that may be long or short, and sometimes lasts for ten days or more. Abu Muhammad, one of the fishermen on board the dinghies, was the first one we met. As soon as you look at him, you see the experience of years that have been tested by experiences that have left their clear marks on his face. Abu Muhammad always mentions God and relies on Him in a permanent journey of livelihood, which differs in its resources from one season to another, as winter fishing, Abu Muhammad says, is different from summer fishing, and each has the types that distinguish it.

Abu Mohammed told (WAA) "In winter, shrimp fishing is plentiful. This type has its nets known as the "Kofa", which is similar to a basket that is thrown into the sea and pulled by special machines. This process continues day and night without stopping, and the sailors take turns in shifts that are only stopped by strong winds. The "Kofa" stays in the sea for four continuous hours, after which it is pulled out of the water with the catch it carries, which is placed in designated places inside the boat."

Habib is the boat captain, or as they call him, the "Nakhoda". He has also experienced years of experience until he became familiar with sea fishing, its types and seasons. Habib continued in his talk to (INA) saying that "the winter season witnesses a decrease in fish fishing and an increase in shrimp fishing, unlike the summer season, which in turn witnesses an abundance in fishing of various types, such as sabour, zubaidi, hammour, nuwaibi, shang, mazlaq, raas al-thur and other sea fish that Basra is almost unique in."

Habib adds, "There are boats that come to us in the open sea to buy the catch that the Gulf waters have given them, and their owners sell it in the markets of Faw or Basra."

According to Habib, what these fishermen fear most during their trips is the strong winds, heavy rains and the high waves that accompany them, which could cause serious damage to their fishing boats, which could cost them unnecessary financial burdens.

Fishermen complain about the high financial costs required to provide the fishing gear and the impact that this has on their financial returns, demanding greater government support to alleviate their suffering, such as reducing fuel prices or providing fishing nets and equipment at subsidized prices. However, the Basra Agriculture Directorate attributes the absence of this support to the absence of a unified database for fishermen.

The head of the fish department in the directorate, Abbas Dakhil, says, “The Fishermen’s Association is the one that organizes fishing operations in territorial waters and also manages the fish market in Al-Faw, which is the common name for the fish market. It is also the body responsible for issuing licenses to fishermen.” He continues by saying that “the lack of direct support from the directorate to fishermen is due to the lack of fishermen’s desire to register with the Directorate of Agriculture to grant them international licenses and pay license fees,” adding that “the only possible support for this segment is limited to raising their demands to reduce fuel prices to the relevant authorities.”