In Morombe, the small-scale fishermen of Morombe have stood up valiantly against the A-H-M company’s plan to use ultra-sophisticated fishing equipment. These sophisticated techniques risk depleting fish stocks.
The case dates back to 2019. That year, the small-scale fishermen of Morombe were astonished to learn of the arrival of Sri Lankan investors from A-H-M, a company specialising in fishing and the collection of fish products. These investors have apparently obtained authorisation from the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries (MAEP). Licences have been issued for the Ayaan Express, registration number 19/030/N.M, for the Kangoroo Express, registration number 19/029, and for two other boats. These licences are valid for the 2019 financial year, i.e., until the date set by the Malagasy government for the closure of fishing. These investors are also in possession of a product collector’s licence issued by the MAEP, number 618 1469. The licences authorise them to work in Morombe: they are not made out in the name of these foreign investors, but in that of Mihajaninisoa Prisca Robelson, a resident of the Andabizy fokontany in Toliara.
In another memorandum of understanding between the MAEP and the company A-H-M, signed on 24 April 2019 and valid for 36 months, this company is represented by Mihajaninisoa Prisca Robelson. We were unable to shed any light on the relationship between this Malagasy resident and these Sri Lankan investors, as the latter have left Morombe and Mihajaninisoa Prisca Robelson did not wish to answer our questions. Officials at the local Fisheries Department are categorical: ‘The activities of these Sri Lankan nationals and their equipment are authorised by law, as the licence was issued by the Ministry in accordance with the law’, although these investors are not mentioned at all in the official authorisation documents. According to these officials, ‘the only violation of the law committed by these boats is the absence of the GPS required by paragraph 4 of the agreement concluded between the A-M-H company and the Ministry.’
Fishing nets from 1,000m to 3km long
In Morombe, two-thirds of the population make their living from fishing. Jean Félix, head of the Tsinjorano fokontany, explains: “In the past, growing, selling and sorting peas from the cape supplemented people’s usual livelihoods in Morombe. Since the cape-pea collectors left Morombe, the majority of the population has turned to fishing. Since 2011, 40 small-scale local fishermen have come together in the Tea Reaky association to protect fish stocks and coastal areas: ‘If resources were to dwindle or disappear, our future generations would lose a means of subsistence’, explains Mosesy Jean, President of Tea Reaky. Before the arrival of A-H-M, the Tea Reaky association fought to put an end to the ‘beangata’ or ‘tarikaky’ initiated by fishermen from Toliara: their technique consists of deploying nets of mosquito netting 500 to 1000 metres long (beangata) that they pull towards the beach to trap as many fish as possible. These fishermen, who use illegal nets, have retreated to Beloha and Morondava. Shortly after this incident, the association was confronted with the presence of these over-equipped A-H-M fishing boats.
For the Tea Reake association, while the collection licence seems to have its advantages, the fishing licence is categorically rejected, in the absence of dialogue and a precise agreement to preserve the advantages of small-scale fishermen. Mosesy Jean, president of the association, also suspects illicit practices: “The MAEP is aware of the existence and raison d’être of our association. If its representatives don’t want to ask our opinion on the granting of these fishing licences, at least they could have warned us before issuing them”.
According to Tea Reaky members, the company A-H-N uses nets 3km long. In Morombe, this technique is called ‘making a dam’. The company also uses longlines, large bottom lines fitted with hooks along their length, which can reach 800 metres. Extreme techniques that are likely to monopolise most of the fish resources available for fishing. At the Morombe Fishing Department, we were told that the company ‘fishes outside the areas reserved for small-scale fishermen’. But the chairman, Mosesy Jean, is not taking it lying down: “We do fish upstream, but the fish come from the open sea: if they are held back by these dams, we won’t be able to catch them!
For the Tea reake association, the equipment deployed to create a fish barrier in the open sea is ‘killing small-scale fishermen’. “Even before this dam, we noticed that our catches were falling. So with the dam, let’s not talk about it anymore!” The association has therefore decided to reject the use of the fishing equipment used by these foreign investors in Morombe.
Pressure on small-scale fishermen and suspicion of corruption
Once these practices had been identified, the Tea Reaky association met the mayor of Morombe, Roland, and the people in charge at MAEP’s regional office, to clarify the situation. The association also met with the Sri Lankan managers of the fishing company: ‘We wanted them to stop these fishing practices. No consensus was reached at the end of these meetings: “As an association, we felt a certain pressure was being put on us and we had no say in the matter. That’s when we began to suspect that those running the meeting had already been bribed, so they called for the meeting to be suspended. And the discussions broke down”.
The Tea Reake association sent a delegation to Antananarivo to lobby the central MAEP, demanding the cancellation of the fishing licence. The Sri Lankan investors and the A-H-N company, for their part, organised an operation to seduce the population of Morombe by distributing rice and school supplies. Jean Félix de Tsinjorano is explicit: “They bribed the fokontany chiefs. Money was distributed three times. Firstly, 50,000 Ar was distributed when the foreigners gave the licence authorising them to fish in the Morombe maritime region. Then, 100,000 Ar, when tensions began. And again, 100,000 Ar during the unrest, so that the fokontany chiefs would prevent the fishermen from demonstrating”. This strategy could have been successful, but several fokontany chiefs backed down after hearing Tea Reaky’s grievances and after this association obtained the suspension of the licence, during their visit to the MAEP Antananarivo. Following this suspension by the Ministry, the A-H-N company abandoned the use of their boats. They turned to the Malagasy, whom they pay to fish for them, using their own boats, the ones usually used by small-scale fishermen. This episode did not last long: the company set sail and left Morombe. Only the caretaker remained on the site occupied by the company.
There are 500,000 small-scale fishermen in Madagascar. These small-scale fishermen produce 72% of the country’s fishing output, yet they do not have exclusive fishing rights in coastal areas. This situation puts their daily livelihood at risk. The Tea Reaky experience highlights the lack of upstream communication between small-scale fishermen and the MAEP, through their local departments. Lack of transparency, lack of dialogue, suspicions of corruption and influence peddling with the local population are all issues that worry these farmers, whose fishing activity is their main, if not only, source of income. These fishermen are asking to be consulted on decisions affecting their livelihoods, to the benefit of large-scale operators.
Cover photo source: https://fr.freepik.com/
