Durban — A declaration that all deltas and protected areas in Africa be declared no-mining and no-exploitation zones was signed by the FishNet Alliance this week. The alliance is a network of fishers across the coast of Africa.
The alliance held a general assembly and conference in Durban on the theme: Ocean, Extractivism and Renewable Energy.
The gathering was attended by members of the South Durban Community Environmental Alliance (SDCEA), members from Senegal, Togo, Nigeria, Mozambique, Uganda, South Sudan and Cameroon, and Oilwatch Africa and Oilwatch International members and allies from 20 countries.
SDCEA co-ordinator Desmond D’Sa said the conference observed that the rights of artisanal fishers continued to be violated by extractive projects. He said these rights violations were fuelled by extractivism and colonialism practices.
“The offshore extraction activities – oil and gas infrastructure installations – are dangerous and destructive of the livelihoods of coastal communities. The systemic and subtle extension of the extractivists’ colonial roots through the introduction of concepts like the Blue Economy are going to worsen the situation of fisher folks who are already paying the price for the grabbing of our resources,” he said.
D’Sa said the ocean and other water bodies were under constant attack and the SDCEA noted the new dynamics brought by the push for renewable offshore energy.
“Industrial fishers are laxly regulated and act with impunity. Instead, artisanal fishers are intimidated and repressed by both the state and these commercial fish merchants. The industrial fishers are responsible for overcapacity, illegal, reported and unregulated fishing and not the artisanal fishers who fish with poles, hooks and specific net sizes,” D’Sa said.
He added that coastal and fishing communities were being washed away as a result of coastal erosion and sea encroachment engendered by the climate change.
D’Sa said these fisher communities were fast turning into refugees in their own countries as their territories were being washed away.
“The emerging issues of green hydrogen extend the same colonial logic of extractivism to satisfy the insatiable hunger of capitalism and only minimise the drive for a true people’s just transition. The mangrove forests play a big role in preserving our fisheries and building our local economies,” D’Sa said.
The FishNet Alliance stands in solidarity with its members and other fishers’ communities in the struggle and declared the following:
- Our ocean, communities and our sociocultural well-being are not for sale.
- Artisanal fishers must be recognised, consulted, supported and protected and must be adequately represented in ocean and maritime policy discourse.
- We denounce and reject any form of grabbing of our waters for the production of so-called green hydrogen.
- All deltas and protected areas in Africa must be declared no-mining, no-exploitation zones.
This declaration was endorsed by the following members and affiliates: SDCEA; Centre de Recherche et d’Action sur les Droits Économique Sociaux et Culturels (CRADESC); Centre pour la Justice Environnementale (CJE) – Togo; FishNet Alliance -Togo; Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF); KZN Subsistence Fisherfolks Forum; FishNet Alliance, Mozambique and Nigeria; Oilwatch Africa and International; Oil Change International; Green Connection; TYEN; Earth Life; Environmental Rights Action; JVE – Côte d'Ivoire; Peace Point Development Foundation; GDA – Cameroon; and Centro para Desenvolvimento Alternativo.
WhatsApp your views on this story to 071 485 7995.
Daily News