In troubled waters, Majority of fishermen fish sorrows

Quite similar to Earnest Hemingway’s Santiago, trials and tribulations, most often fill the lives of fishermen. From time to time, the fishermen in the Kingdom have confronted tough situations with waves sweeping away the joys of their lives.

The ever-decreasing size of the sea coupled with fast-disappearing fisheries wealth is throwing new challenges to them. Many, in fact thousands of them, who lived at the mercy of sea to make both ends meet, are out in search for other jobs.

Reason is simple: They are not even able to generate half the income they would generate a few years ago. Returning without a good catch is something they can’t even think of now; considering the hike in diesel prices and increase in rents to boat owners.

And many in search of treasures to sustain themselves unknowingly strayed into foreign waters, ending up in jails in some of the neighbouring countries including Saudi Arabia, Iran and Qatar.

As of today, there are scores of fishermen languishing behind the bars outside Bahrain. Some fishermen say they no longer enjoy the profession, owing to fear of crossing marine boundaries and ending up in jails. Reclamation of sea has added to their plight.

According to fishermen, fishes escape to deeper waters, making the fishing process a really hard task.