Fuel increase keeps Luanda fishermen on land

Many artisanal fishing boats in Luanda have been forced to stop by rising fuel prices, exacerbating the hardship for shipowners and fishermen still waiting to receive state-subsidized cards.

A scene of dozens of paralyzed boats is visible on the famous Mabunda Beach in Luanda’s Samba city, where the few who go out to sea say they have doubled their spending and made the fish more expensive to offset the activity.

There are few fishing boats that can handle the current price of gasoline, which has cost 300 kwanza (€0.48) per liter since June 2, almost double the previous 160 kwanza (€0.25), operators in the sector say, fearing unemployment many .

“It’s difficult because we have big barges at sea and they used to take four or five 200 liter drums and now it’s difficult so you have to reduce the drums. 488 euros),” said Claudio José.

The person in charge of one of the ships still in service at Mabunda realized that now its fuel-only cost is twice that of the previous period, criticizing the measures of the authorities and the lack of subsidized cards that allow certain professional classes to provide for themselves. paying the original price.

“The sale of fish has increased slightly, but when there is a lot of production, the price remains the same as before. This measure came at the wrong time, because it really complicates the work,” added Claudio José. which has been in operation for a year and a half.

The Angolan government has announced the phasing out of petrol subsidies, keeping subsidies for taxi drivers, motorcycle taxis and the agricultural and fishing sector, promising subsidized cards to operators.

The state-subsidized cards “never” reached the fishermen of Mabunda, Antonio Miguel, 38, told Lusa, realizing that operations have “become more difficult” as prices rise.

“We who own the ship have a license and are waiting for a (subsidized) card because we said there would be direct access, but nothing yet,” he lamented.

In his 20-year career, the fisherman also talked about the negative impact of rising gasoline prices on vessel mobility, noting that he now buys 112 liters for his small boat for 333,600 kwanzas (410 euros).

On the other hand, the price of fish depends on the existing supply, he said, still complaining that many colleagues are having difficulty keeping the vessels running.

“It really affects a lot, because some (vessels) cannot leave after increasing fuel, not everyone has the same conditions to make the ship leave,” he said.

Nuno Gómez, the owner of a fishery in this coastal area of ​​Luanda, criticized the authorities’ measures, saying that it is also being paid for by the end consumer of the fish, who now spends 5,000 kwanza (€6) to buy five swordfish, compared to the previous 2,500 kwanza (3 euro) for the same amount.

The shipowner, with more than 10 years of activity, also spoke about the negative consequences: “Some manage to resist, while others stop because of this measure that the government has taken.”

“I think that the Government, before increasing fuel, should provide us with cards, they say that we will be eligible for cards, but the price of fuel went up on the 2nd, and today is the 21st, and so far nothing has happened. was said about the cards”, was criticized.

After paying 300 kwanzas for a liter of gasoline, Nuno said that “it is impossible to sell fish cheaply,” and many have already quit their jobs.

“Yes, a lot of people get stopped and it also reflects on society, here in this area of ​​Mabunda there is an increase in crime, a lot of fish theft, and the situation is really bad,” he shot.

The lack of subsidized cards for Mabunda fishermen was also criticized by 67-year-old fisherman Sebastian Francisco, believing that they did not go beyond this “promise” of the authorities.

“Life is bad now because a bottle that used to be bought for 10,000 kwanza (12 euros) now costs 15,000 kwanza (50 liters) and cards were promised, but until today we have not seen a postcard for two people as an agitation” , he noted.

Sebastian Francisco, who says he started doing it as a child, also mentioned the difficult situation the fishermen faced, noting that “many boats are stopped today.”

“They can no longer buy fuel, and when they get fish it doesn’t even offset the cost of the activity,” he said.

By the sea, the search for fish in Mabund, especially from individuals and even from “zungeiras” (street vendors), is intense.

After buying the fish and with the support of some of the young people who work there, many fish right here without any hygiene or safety conditions, turning Mabunda into a huge garbage dump.