By Obiabin Onukwugha
FishNet Alliance, a network of fishers across the coast of Africa, held her General Assembly and Conference on Thursday 22nd August 2024 in Durban South, South Africa on the theme: “Ocean, Extractivism and Renewable Energy”.
The gathering was attended by members of the Alliance from South Africa, Senegal, Togo, Nigeria, Mozambique, including new members from Uganda, South Sudan and Cameroon as well as Oilwatch Africa and Oilwatch International members and allies from 20 countries.
The body discussed the rights of artisanal fishers, which it said continues to be violated by extractive projects. FishNet Alliance observed that these rights violations are fueled by the extractivism and colonialism practices.
According to the body, the offshore extraction activities, oil and gas infrastructure installations are dangerous and destructive of the livelihoods of coastal communities.
It further pointed out that the systemic and subtle extension of the extractivists’ colonial roots through the introduction of concepts like the Blue Economy are going to worsen the situation of fisher folks who are already paying the price for grabbing of our resources.
“Coastal and fishing communities are being washed away as a result of coastal erosion and sea encroachment engendered by the climate change. These fisher folks’ communities are fast turning into refugees in their own countries as their territories are being washed away.
“The emerging issues of green hydrogen extends the same colonial logic of extractivism to satisfy the insatiable hunger of capitalism and only minimize the drive for a true peoples just transition,” the body stated.
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It also emphasised the need to protect the mangrove forests, saying they play a big role in preserving fisheries and building our local economies.
“Our ocean, communities and our sociocultural wellbeing are not for sale.
Artisanal fishers must be recognized, consulted, supported and protected and must be adequately represented in ocean and maritime policy discourse.
“”We denounce and reject any form of grabbing of our waters for the production of so-called green hydrogen
All deltas and protected areas in Africa must be declared no-mining, no-exploitation zones,” the body stated in a communiqué at the end of the Assembly.
The declaration was endorsed by the
South Durban Community Environmental Alliance (SDCEA), Centre de Recherche et d’Action sur les Droits Économique Sociaux et Culturels (CRADESC),
Centre pour la Justice Environnementale (CJE) – Togo, FishNet Alliance -Togo,
Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), KZN Subsistence Fisherfolks Forum, FishNet Alliance, Mozambique
FishNet Alliance, Nigeria, Oilwatch Africa, Oilwatch International, Oil Change International, Green Connection
TYEN, Earth Life, Environmental Rights Action, JVE – Côte d’Ivoire, Peace Point Development Foundation, GDA – Cameroon and Centro para Desenvolvimento Alternativo
