Exchange of Fire Between Israel and Hezbollah Deprives Fishermen in Tyre of Their Livelihoods
(AWP) - The presence of a fishing boat in the sea off the coast of Naqoura near the Lebanese-Israeli border has become a rare sight due to the mutual shelling between Israel and Hezbollah since last October, forcing fishermen to abandon their work for fear of their safety.
Ahmed Awadah, a fisherman who stopped fishing in Naqoura’s sea three months ago, said, “I’m a fisherman living in Naqoura and I haven’t left the city. Our house was bombed, and I was wounded.”
“We were greatly affected by the bombing and raids. Fishermen cannot go out to sea, and we cannot catch fish. Fishermen have been greatly affected by this situation,” he added.
Around 25 fishing boats that used to operate daily and provide the livelihood of about 150 families in the area now stand idle, docked at the Port of Naqoura.
While some fishermen decided to move north, a few choose to venture out and risk the danger, going out to sea even if for an hour, hoping to secure some of what they need to provide for their families.
Sami Rizk, a fisherman and representative of the Fishermen’s Union in Tyre, said, “Fishermen go out fishing, but the situation can intensify on land and on the shore, with aircraft and artillery shelling, so people are afraid. We have reached a stage where the fish markets were closed for 15 days, and the shops started buying fish at low prices. When we resumed fishing, the security forces asked us, for our safety, not to cross the Bayada area [between Tyre and Naqoura].”
He added, while standing in the Port of Tyre, 23 kilometres north of Naqoura, “Fear is when you cast your net and sit down, and suddenly Labbouneh, al-Hedoud, Aalma, Zahajra, and Yaroun [border clash areas] light up with with Israeli raids and artillery shelling.”
“When we fishermen cast out our nets, we redeem them with our souls because it is our source of livelihood… We were terribly affected, yet there is no despair,” Rizk concluded.