‘No more fish in the sea’ - Durban fisherfolk say pollution killing livelihoods
Fisherfolk
in Durban say there's no longer plenty of fish in the sea due to pollution that
seems to have got worse since this year's floods.
They, along with farmers, traditional healers and surfers, packed the Austerville Hall in Wentworth on Thursday to share their concerns about the state of the ocean.
The gathering was hosted by the South Durban Environmental Community Alliance.
The quality of Durban's waters has been sub-standard with high e.Coli levels have shut down beaches in recent weeks and dead fish washing up on river banks due to contamination.
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Fisherman David Naicker from Umkomaas says there's hardly been any fish due to the current state of the ocean.
"When we go to the beach there's no ten fish we can catch, so pollution is destroying, with the recent flooding and the debris which washed up in the ocean. Now when we are getting the westerly winds we find out that the water is discoloured.
"So we are not sure if this is pollution from certain companies that have been released into the ocean or the debris fermenting from the recent floods. Due to this, there is hardly any fish in Umkomaas."
Sixty-nine-year-old anger Jeffery Naicker says many people who are desperate will fish in polluted waters.
“I'm a senior and I won't go catch fish that is going to affect people who I'm going to sell to and that I'm going to consume. So I go sit at home and dream fir funds to come to us, which is not easy. And I'm a sincere fisherman, if there is something that's not right and I can't consume, it's not right for me then it's not right for the public."
