Kimberly Mega Jan 17th 2008 9:30 pm Current event

Europe Takes Africa’s Fish, and Boatloads of Migrants Follow
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/14/world/africa/14fishing.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=january+14%2C+2008&oref=slogin

This current event deals with the depletion of Africa’s fish population. Many local fisherman have barely enough fish to fuel their boat and it’s driving some to sail illegally to Europe in hopes of a new life and career. Most are caught and are forced to return hope to poverty and despair. They are under the impression that Europe has all the fish because their ocean is depleted and “Life is better there”. And according to scientists they are right, the fish population is dwindling. The abundance of industrial crawlers from the European Union, China, and Russia along Africa’s northwest coast is causing their major fish populations to collapse. This has negatively impacted Africa’s coastal economy and contributed to the amount of illegal migrants. Overfishing is a common problem, many fish stocks are overfished, but for the poor region of northwest Africa the impact could be detrimental. Fish is a major protein source for this region and now almost no one can afford them. Almost 200, 000 people depend on local fishing for their income but the bigger companies are wiping them out. The future looks bleak for the local fisherman and their families who depend on Africa’s coast to put a roof over their head and food on the table. I t seems like the more developed countries just can’t give anyone else a chance. They have depleted their own resources and must hone in on others territories. For some African people the sea is their only way of income and now they must turn to other means for livelihood.