Abdifatah Mohamed

“Our families depend on what we catch at sea. Even though our catches [of fish] have gone down in recent years, it helped provide for our families at home. But it’s like we were being punished for crimes we have nothing to do with, and our families have suffered for it.”

Abdifatah Mohamed · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-19

Mohamed explains how the sea restrictions punished fishermen who had nothing to do with piracy.

“We’re [fishermen] no match for the foreign trawlers, who possess capabilities far greater than us, which impacts the livelihoods of our families on land,”

Abdifatah Mohamed · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-19

Mohamed describes how foreign trawlers' superior capabilities hurt local fishermen's livelihoods.

“Some from our community have taken up arms at sea, but deep down I know it’s hurting our community.”

Abdifatah Mohamed · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-19

Mohamed acknowledges some community members have turned to piracy and recognizes the harm it causes.

“I don’t catch as much fish anymore, and the prospects for catching lobsters have become rare,”

Abdifatah Mohamed · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-19

A 35-year-old fisherman who has spent 20 years fishing off Somalia's coast describes declining catches.

“Recently there was an attempt by local youth with guns trying to go out at sea, but the residents told them not to do it and that they would be harming their community even more,”

Abdifatah Mohamed · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-19

Mohamed describes residents preventing local youth from going to sea with guns.

“Foreign trawlers are emptying out the seas,”

Abdifatah Mohamed · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-19

Mohamed blames foreign trawlers for depleting Somalia's seas.

“The local authorities gave an order the last week of August preventing us from going out at sea, which would remain in effect for two months,”

Abdifatah Mohamed · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-19

Mohamed describes local authorities' order in late August preventing fishermen from going to sea for two months.

“It was civilians that took the initiative to stop them and not the government because it’s the civilians in this town that will suffer the blowback if they launch attacks from here,”

Abdifatah Mohamed · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-19

Mohamed explains that civilians took the initiative to stop would-be pirates because civilians will suffer the blowback.

“While out at sea, you could face arrest or violence from international navies, and get mistaken for pirates, and taken away to a jail in a foreign land. It’s happened to a lot of men from this town.”

Abdifatah Mohamed · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-19

Mohamed describes the danger of being arrested or mistaken for pirates by international navies while at sea.

“It’s a two-way risk, because if the authorities know you went out to sea, they could accuse you of piracy or even transporting supplies to the ships that were hijacked,”

Abdifatah Mohamed · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-19

Mohamed describes the risk of being accused of piracy or transporting supplies if authorities learn fishermen went to sea.