Wrapping up Dar El Salaam: "
We have been fortunate that Protea Hotels has sponsored our stay in Dar El Salaam, so we have had an air conditioner, a fridge, hot shower, well as you can imagine we have been spoilt beyond belief. Dar El Salaam seems to be a forgotten city emerging from a dust ball designed around dilapidated roads, and construction disasters. Despite the seemingly lack of modern advancement, Dar has charm in its architecture, friendly people and the lure of island riddled coastline. Today was the second time I visited the Dar fish market, I think a must experience for all, if you never want to eat fish again.
Apart from the multitude of small fish constantly been gutted on the pavement, a much more sinister problem lurks amongst the fishers…. Swollen bellies, bulging eyes and soft “mush” like flesh are the result of dynamite fishing. Hundereds of blasts occur daily, destroying corals fish and irreplaceable habitat alike. In fact the new gig here in Dar is to dynamite tuna shoals under ships waiting to enter Dar El Salaam’s port. Unfortunately of the tuna blasted, only 10 % or less will be recovered, as the otherwise killed by the blast are too deep to allow the ruptured swim bladder enough buoyancy to bring the fish to the surface. Today not only tuna, but swollen bellied groupers, and sea bass lined the dirty bloodied tables and floors.
A thousand people strong are at the fish market daily, rushing fish from the boats to the auctions, thereafter to various markets throughout the city. A topic which is of particular interest to me is, why can dynamite fishing not be sopped, if it is so damaging, well the answer lies in the problems of aid to Tanzania and corruption at high levels. The aid dilemma is not a one, and a topic I shall write in more detail in the future about, but if the tanzanian government gets US$ 60 million in aid for coastal fisheries management etc, yet nothing transpires as to solving the very obvious problems of illegal fishing and lack of compliance… one has to ask 2 questions, the obvious, where is the money going? and if aid is a continuos source of government income, then surely effective fisheries management, law enforcement and community development is not in governments interest….. mmmmm interesting…. While money wonders tight circles, dynamite blasting continues to destroy the very food source of Tanzanian people, a worrying thought.
Thankfully today we heard some inspiring stories from Sea Sense, a local Tanzanian NGO working towards the for-betterment of the marine realm for communities. Humbly said, Sea Sense is a local initiative who has seen the problem and willing to inspire change though effective community participation, well Sea Sense is dedicated to the task, and they are changing lives…. sometime humanity is not as bad as well all believe it to be…. a simple understanding here helps us from been cynical…
Dar fish market, some of the dynamite victims.
Sushi fondu
The market is sensitive to pictures, so the above are taken not to show the bad side of people, but a reality of a resource squandered by ill fishing practices promoted by “the bigger picture” so to speak…. These community fishers will be the first to suffer.
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