Latest news with #fishingcommunity
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Experts issue urgent warning as island chain is on brink of disappearing: 'It's just a question of time'
Experts issue urgent warning as island chain is on brink of disappearing: 'It's just a question of time' A chain of islands off the coast of West Africa is on the brink of disappearing amid rising sea levels. What's happening? Nyangai Island is one of seven inhabited islands that comprise the Turtle Islands in Sierra Leone. The island was once home to over a thousand residents and three villages, but in the last decade, much of Nyangai's surface area has disappeared under the rising ocean. Caledonian Record reports that two-thirds of the island has vanished and only 300 inhabitants remain. Those left behind are living in severely cramped conditions and lack basic infrastructure. Homes are regularly lost to floods, and there's very little space left to rebuild. Soon, the island will be uninhabitable, and a local climate expert predicts the other islands will be gone within 10-15 years: "The entire archipelago will go, it's just a question of time." The remaining inhabitants have little hope that their homes can be saved. A community leader and longtime resident, Amidou Bureh, said: "Our worry is the water, that the water will destroy us." Why are rising sea levels such a concern? Compounding the tragic fate of Nyangai is the sense of injustice. The fishing community has had almost no part in creating the conditions that have led to the crisis unfolding before their very eyes. The planet-heating pollution from dirty energy is accelerating the loss of sea ice, causing coastal erosion and leading to the disappearance of entire island communities worldwide. Worse still, rising ocean temperatures create ideal conditions for increasingly frequent and severe extreme weather events. It's no longer a matter of whether people will be displaced; it's already happening, but of how many. Even in the best-case scenario, people will be forcibly displaced at a level not seen since World War II. What's being done to protect vulnerable communities? Unfortunately for the residents of the islands, their plight is largely falling on deaf ears. A USAID program attempted to slow down the erosion by planting mangroves, but this had little effect, according to Mongabay. Now, with foreign assistance all but gone, even those token efforts will cease. With a GDP per capita of just $915, Sierra Leone has limited capacity to handle the population displacement. A global crisis requires a unified response, and that's possible through awareness, collective, and individual actions. Accelerating the adoption of clean energy will at the very least slow down the rise and buy valuable time for the world's most vulnerable communities. Do you worry about air pollution in your town? All the time Often Only sometimes Never Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet. Solve the daily Crossword
BBC News
12-07-2025
- General
- BBC News
North East shellfish die-off 'catastrophic' for fishing community
The mass-deaths of shellfish off the Teesside and North Yorkshire coast in 2021 has had a "catastrophic" impact on the mental health of the fishing community, a report has found. Thousands of crustaceans washed up dead along the area's beaches and a working group made up of councillors from across the region said the incident had affected fishers' livelihoods, as well as local tourism. No definitive cause for the die-off has been found but the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said it was likely to be due to naturally occurring harmful situation had an "extremely negative" impact on communities, a meeting on Friday heard. The aftermath of the event was a "fight for survival" for the districts' ecosystem and communities, said the report by a working group made up of councillors from Redcar and Cleveland, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire, Redcar and Cleveland and Stockton councils."Clearly, the impact on fishing communities has been catastrophic in certain areas," it said."Most areas along the coast in both directions from the Tees Mouth have experienced a fall-off in catch, the marine environment has been adversely affected in certain areas, and the number of vessels involved in inshore fishing has significantly diminished."Meanwhile, a senior environmental officer said the lobster population was recovering, though it was "not back to where it was".The crab population is "still a long way from that," the officer told a council suggested the creation of a hatchery to restore crab populations in the area should be explored. In 2023, North Yorkshire Council supported calls for a public inquiry into the crustacean die-offs and a public inquiry was formally requested by the working group in July Defra advised that an inquiry was unlikely to provide substantial new insights due to the length of time since the initial the meeting, a council environmental officer said there had been "clearly no appetite" in Government for a public working group called for financial support for the affected fishers and a reduction of red tape to help improve responses to future events, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. North Yorkshire councillor Phil Trumper said: "Other areas, such as farming, get financial support and we should be pushing the Government on that."One of the recommendations of the final report, which was also put forward to North Yorkshire Council's executive committee, proposed "financial support for ventures that might aid the recovery of marine ecosystems". Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
CTV News
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Cast a line at the 25th Fish Festival
Todd Longley of Urban Angling Partnership invites families to the free Fish Festival at The Forks, celebrating 25 years of fishing fun.
Telegraph
30-06-2025
- General
- Telegraph
Protected 17th-century shipwreck damaged by fishing pots
For more than 330 years, the wreck of HMS Coronation has lain undisturbed at the bottom of the English Channel. Despite the powerful currents that buffer the ancient warship, it has remained remarkably well preserved, offering a fascinating window into Britain's maritime history. But now Devon and Cornwall Police have launched an investigation after the wreck sustained damage because of illegal fishing equipment being attached to the site. Divers, who have been granted special permits to explore the ship, noticed a number of lobster pots tied to the fragile timbers. Some of the equipment had caused damage to the ship and marine archaeologists are currently assessing the extent of the destruction. Officers from Devon and Cornwall Police's rural affairs team have been investigating who was responsible for attaching the pots and are trying to educate local fishermen about the importance of preserving wreck sites. Police sergeant Julian Fry said: 'The South-West is home to 21 of the UK's 57 protected wrecks. 'It's so important for us, and those out on sea, to play our part in keeping these historic sites safe from any damage. 'We're urging the fishing community to avoid placing any fishing equipment near the HMS Coronation, and indeed any other protected wreck sites around the UK. 'Whilst we fully support the local fishing industry, preservation of these nationally important heritage sites is essential. 'We thank the fishing industry in advance for their co-operation.' Police are investigating the incident along with Historic England's maritime archaeologists and heritage crime experts. HMS Coronation was a second-rate ship of the line that was commissioned by King Charles II in 1677 and launched at Portsmouth in 1685. A Royal Navy flagship It was part of the '30-ship programme' intended to significantly bolster England's naval defences and firepower. The Coronation was the last ship of the programme to be completed as money and materials became scarce in the early 1680s. With a 660 sailors and 94 guns, HMS Coronation was the Royal Navy flagship in the Battle of Beachy Head in 1690. But in September 1691 as the ship patrolled the English Channel she got caught in a gale, foundered on the rocks at Penlee Point, and sank with the loss of around 600 souls. Part of the wreck was discovered by divers in 1967 with a larger section revealed ten years later. The area is preserved under the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973, which prohibits any activity that could cause damage, obscure or interfere with the site.
Malay Mail
17-06-2025
- Malay Mail
Sea search underway for missing fisherman after early morning fire guts boat near Kuala Kurau
IPOH, June 17 — A fisherman gone missing is feared to have drowned after the boat he was on with two other fishermen caught fire about 8.6 nautical miles east of Tanjung Piandang, Kuala Kurau yesterday. Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) Kuala Kurau Zone director Maritime Commander Mohd Hairil Othman said all three fishermen on board jumped into the sea to save themselves in the fire that broke out at about 4 am yesterday. He said only two fishermen were rescued while the other who is also the owner of the boat, identified as Cheah Chai Pun, 33, has yet to be found. 'The fire started in the engine section of the boat. It was extinguished by firefighters as soon as the boat was towed to the Tanjung Piandang jetty,' he said in a statement last night. Mohd Hairil said his MMEA team have activated a search and rescue operation in collaboration with various agencies and the local maritime community, which was also mobilised to help channel information and provide logistical support. MMEA also calls on the public or fishing community who have any new leads to assist the search by channelling information at 011-3525 9919 or the Kuala Kurau maritime zone office at 05-727 9919. The search operation for the solitary victim would continue tomorrow morning as it was called off at nightfall today. — Bernama
