Red Sea attacks deprive Yemeni fishermen of their livelihoods
▶ Crews told to stay close to shore as warships seek to stop Houthis from hitting commercial vessels
Ramzy Yusr has been fishing off Yemen’s Red Sea coast for as long as he can remember. It was his livelihood, until the war in Gaza changed everything.
Along with about 10,000 other fishermen in Al Khokha and along the coast from the city of Hodeidah, restrictions on fishing boats amid Houthi rebel strikes against commercial vessels have affected access to the Red Sea.
Mr Yusr has not been able to work properly since November, when the Iran-backed Houthis began attacking commercial ships in response to Israel’s assault on Gaza.
“Owners of small boats, like me, can no longer put food on the table,” Mr Yusr, 35, told The National.
Yemenis have struggled economically since civil war broke out in 2014 with the Houthi takeover of the capital Sanaa.
However, fishermen in Hodeidah, which is under Houthi control, say they have been especially hard hit since December 18, when the US launched an international maritime task force to defend shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden from Houthi attacks.
While most rebel attacks have involved drones and missiles launched from areas under Houthi control, several ships have reported being approached by “suspicious” boats.
In December, the US military said helicopters from two of its warships fired on and sank three “Iranian-backed Houthi small boats” that reportedly approached and opened fire at a commercial vessel.
“Since the military escalation began, we’ve been prohibited from sailing to areas with abundant fish,” Mr Yusr said.
“We can fish only a short distance from the shore, where fish are scarce.”
Mr Yusr says his small boat cost him four million Yemeni riyals ($16,000). On a good day, he can earn about 3,000 riyals from his catch.
“Fishermen like me have no means of income but the sea,” he said. “If we stay at home, we will die of hunger.”
Sally Adeeb, director of the research and studies unit at Mwatana for Human Rights, a non-governmental organisation based in Sanaa, said the fishermen’s troubles began with the start of the civil war almost a decade ago.
She said troubles have been exacerbated by the international response to the Houthi attacks on shipping.
“Fishermen have faced threats and risks, including gunfire directed at their boats in Yemeni and international waters by warships belonging to the US-led task force in the Red Sea,” she said.
“These operations have led to the suspension of fishing activities, with fishermen returning home fearing for their lives.”
The situation has forced some owners of larger fishing boats to relocate to safer waters along Yemen’s southern coast in Hadhramaut and Al Mahrah provinces, said Yousef Al Ghalisi, a human rights advocate and former spokesman of the city council in Al Khokha.
He said it was difficult to gauge how many had been forced to move due to the attacks and retaliatory strikes. Mohammed Nasser who owns a large fishing boat requiring a crew of 10 to 15 people said he had no choice but to move to the government-controlled eastern provinces to try to protect his livelihood.
Mr Nasser left Hodeidah in early December and resettled with his family. “In Hodeidah, the sea has turned into a source of horror, not livelihood,” he said. “We are prohibited from most fishing zones. I was unable to cover the cost of my crew. Moving to Al Mahrah was my only option.”
Fishing difficulties have been exacerbated by the strikes and the international response to the Houthi attack