Ambanja district: Fishing, a vital sector threatened by illegal practices

Fishing is an essential subsistence activity for the majority of the population of Ambanja, in the DIANA region. Local fishermen aspire to develop this buoyant sector, and some efforts are being made to put an end to the multiple pressures on marine resources, which are compromising fish productivity. However, these efforts remain partial and fragile, as many players are adopting illegal practices, deliberately flouting the law and causing widespread losses.

Ambanja is one of five districts in the DIANA region. It covers an area of 6,328 km² and comprises 18 communes, 12 of which border the sea. The district’s fishermen supply the surrounding localities with a wide variety of seafood: prawns, fish, sea cucumbers, crabs and ‘tsivakiny’ (a local species). The district is part of the BATAN marine protected area, which includes Ambaro Bay, Tsimipaika, Ampasindava and Nosy Be. There are around 4,000 officially licensed fishermen in the BATAN zone: 2,400 of them fish, 600 specialise in shrimp, 600 in crab and 400 in sea cucumber.

Falling production, falling income

Forms of pressure on marine resources and breaches of regulations are visible in almost every coastal village in the district. They discourage the fishermen who are trying, as best they can, to comply with the rules. The case of Ambolikapiky, in the north of Madagascar, is emblematic of the difficulties encountered by the small-scale fishing sector. This locality has around 150 fishermen grouped together in a legal association. But despite campaigns to raise awareness of the need to comply with the law, the situation remains bitter: as the proverb says, ‘the cow lies down once, but doesn’t get up again just once’. Breaches of the rules are frequent and deliberate.

‘The real problem for us is the nocturnal intrusions of fishermen from outside the area, who operate illegally during periods when fishing is closed, as well as the theft of sea sand’, deplores Serge Anicet, President of the Ambolikapiky community group.

Growing pressure on resources

There are many reasons for this pressure. On the one hand, demographic growth and the arrival of newcomers who are reluctant to comply with current standards. On the other, the destruction of natural fish habitats, particularly mangroves. As a result, the quantity of fish caught is falling, as is household income. Serge Anicet explains in his native language: “Most people here make their living from the sea. But marine resources are dwindling and becoming poorer every day. And when the rainy season comes, our nets are often washed away by the floods. And the cost of living is rising all the time. This makes things very difficult for us.

A futile effort?

Non-compliance with fishing seasons and the use of prohibited gear are among the most frequent offences. In Doany Ankify, a coastal village in the rural commune of Ambohimena, fishermen use fine-meshed nets called ‘ragiragy’, which scrape up everything in their path, including juvenile fish. However, these are not consumed locally: they are sold to animal feed manufacturers, according to the residents of the Doany Ankify fokontany. In the same locality, some fishermen deliberately choose to go out to sea during closed periods, or to fish at night – practices that are prohibited by law. These transgressions cause tension between fishermen, as they harm both those who respect the rules and those who break them. ‘It’s true, the sea belongs to everyone, everyone can benefit from it, but everyone must also realise that they are responsible for preserving it so that everyone can continue to live off it’, say the Doany Ankify fishermen. Those who try to apply the rules feel isolated. ‘Our efforts are in vain’, they say. According to Article 95 of Law No. 2018-026 of 21 November 2018 governing fishing in Madagascar, violators of the closed seasons, or those using prohibited nets – particularly nets with mesh sizes of less than 15 mm – face a fine ranging from 750,000 to 7,500,000 ariary, in addition to the confiscation of their equipment.

‘Without regulations, there is total anarchy’.

Even though community rules, known as dinampokonolona, exist locally – the fruit of a consensus between members of the community to provide a framework for small-scale fishing – they have not yet been approved by the State, which complicates their application. Jaoth Yoland Christian, president of the fishermen’s group, explains: “How can we prevent our peers from breaking an agreement if we don’t have a legal framework to enforce it? Those who abide by the rules feel cheated, because those who fish illegally at night get better results. Their nets, already submerged overnight, have caught a good proportion of the fish. We, who arrive in the morning, don’t find much”.

Night fishing is causing real social conflict. At Doany Ankify, the local fishermen openly denounce the actions of those from Nosy-Be. The latter operate at night, mainly targeting sardines. “We used to fish during the day, but when we went back out to sea recently, we found almost nothing. All the schools of sardines are caught at night. Even those of us who are starting to adopt night fishing are no longer getting any results,” complains Jimmy Be, one of the fishermen concerned.

Yet this practice is strictly forbidden. It is a source of tension between fishermen, some of whom believe that this ban only serves the selfish interests of a few. “Awareness of the devastating effects of over-exploitation of marine resources has not yet reached everyone. As a result, many see these measures as a form of selfishness on the part of those who want to protect their own interests”, laments Soanada, a fisherman from the BATAN zone. He continues: “But this ban is necessary, because if we fish day and night, all year round, the fish stocks will eventually disappear. And no one will benefit in the long term. Jaoth Yoland Christian insists that the problem stems both from non-compliance with the law and the lack of official recognition of Community rules. “Without a dina to regulate fishing, there will be total chaos, and soon there won’t be a single fish left in the sea.

Mangroves, targets of destruction

Mangroves are the main victims of the degradation of the marine environment, with particularly serious consequences: they are home to many fish species and protect the coast from erosion and flooding during high tides. “There used to be a dense mangrove here in Ambolikapiky, but the “migrants” came to cut wood to make charcoal. The mangrove has shrunk. We, the original inhabitants, ended up doing the same, and now the mangrove around us has completely disappeared. As a result, there are no more fish, crabs or prawns. We’re in trouble”, says Serge Anicet, chairman of the Ambolikapiky Local Basic Committee (CLB).

Illegal logging is not the only cause of destruction. Stealing sand at night is another. This sand is sold to traditional boat operators (botry). Once the sand layer has disappeared, the water hits the mangrove roots directly, causing them to degrade. This pressure also destroys other marine plants, such as seagrass beds and mandrômbo, essential spawning grounds for fish. Sea cucumbers (dingadingana), whose habitat is seriously disturbed, are also on the verge of extinction. To date, a botry caught red-handed extracting sand is liable to a fine of 300,000 ariary. In the case of night fishing or the use of prohibited gear, the equipment is confiscated by CSP (Contrôle de Surveillance des Pêches) officers.

They prefer corruption to the legal way

The integration of fishermen into a regulatory framework is one of the priorities for improving the fishing industry. All activities, from catch to sale, whether local or for export, must be subject to authorisation. Fishermen must have a professional card, issued once they are members of a recognised association. Wholesalers must hold a wholesaler’s card, enabling them to buy wholesale and resell within the district. Those wishing to sell outside the district must hold a collector’s card. ‘The problem is that fishmongers prefer to pay a bribe to the traffic police rather than comply with the regulations,’ says Ranajason Emilien, who is in charge of public contracts at the DIANA Regional Directorate for Fishing and the Blue Economy (DRPEB). This deliberate refusal to obey the law is designed to avoid paying taxes. For example, a collector should have to pay 400,000 ariary for an authorisation on fish products, but prefers to illegally negotiate a lower amount. This system is fuelling major financial losses for the communes and regions, with the complicity of certain fishermen, resellers and sometimes even control officers.

Summary table of taxes by type of product and category of player

Compensation to support small-scale fishermen

The decline in fish stocks is also exacerbated by competition between the fishing zones reserved for industrial and semi-industrial vessels and those reserved for small boats. In Ambanja, some of the semi-industrial shrimp boats sail along the coast, taking away the equipment used by small-scale fishermen. These vessels enter areas normally reserved for small-scale fishing, as shrimp do not always stay in deep waters. “These large vessels pay large sums of money to the state. If they don’t follow the prawns into shallow waters, their production is low”, explains Andriamandroso Elvend Aurelien, head of the Fishing and Blue Economy Department in Ambanja.

“In compensation, Réfrigépêche pays 78,000,000 ariary a year to small-scale fishermen via their associations. This is compensation for coastal exploitation by shrimp boats in zone A, stretching from Antsiranana to Analalava”, continues Andriamandroso Elvend Aurelien. This sum is earmarked for the reforestation of mangroves and support for fishermen who are members of associations, through fishing equipment or income-generating projects. This is the case in Ambohimena, as explained by the first deputy mayor of this rural commune: ‘To support fishermen and encourage them to abandon the use of banned nets, we are financing 50% of the cost of the nets for those who agree to change their practices’.

Alternative activities to preserve marine resources

To preserve marine resources, some fishermen are turning to alternative activities so as not to depend exclusively on fishing products. In Ambolikapiky, for example, members of fishermen’s associations have set up vegetable gardens. This enables them to diversify their income and improve their diet, while making local rules such as limiting fishing periods more acceptable. The fisheries development plan for the BATAN zone was drawn up in 2018, following on from those for Antongil and Melaky. This plan aims to improve the fisheries sector while reducing the pressure on marine resources. However, its success requires a shared commitment. While the State remains the main player, fishermen also have their share of responsibility.

Local support for fishermen

Fishermen are actively involved in restoring mangroves, with the support of organisations such as Blue Ventures, which works to preserve the marine environment and revive small-scale fishing. The organisation currently supports 1,700 coastal fishermen in the Ambanja region. A representative of Blue Ventures in Ambanja explains the actions undertaken: ‘We help fishermen to get out of illegal fishing, we support the protection of coral reefs and the overall restoration of the marine ecosystem’. The support also covers health, education and the search for alternative activities to avoid resorting to illegal practices and offer other means of subsistence during periods when fishing is closed. “In 2016, there were no shrimps left in Ambanja. Today, more than 1,500 hectares of mangroves have been restored, and the health of the marine ecosystems is starting to recover,” he says. According to data provided by Blue Ventures, which manages eight marine areas in Ambanja, the quantities fished daily and prices per kilo are currently as follows:

Written by : Harynah Ramanantsoa – Lenda William – Claire Emelie Sabotsy

Cover photo source: https://www.pexels.com/en/