Gaza's Fishing Sector: Complete Collapse and Fishing Areas Approaching Zero

The remnants of shattered boats in Gaza's port stand as eyewitnesses to the systematic destruction that has afflicted the fisheries sector. Official reports have confirmed the 100% collapse of this vital sector due to the ongoing aggression. This collapse has not been limited to equipment alone but has also affected the port's infrastructure and fish farms, which were a primary economic lifeline for the besieged population.

Before the outbreak of the recent war, the fishing sector represented a lifeline for approximately 4,000 Palestinian fishermen, providing daily sustenance for families comprising nearly 50,000 people. However, this profession has now turned into a perilous journey, with fishermen paying a heavy price, including the martyrdom of 238 and the injury and arrest of around 450 others while carrying out their work.

Field sources reported that the occupation directly targets anyone approaching the coastline, even if the distance does not exceed one mile. These attacks include direct shooting, confiscation of boats, and destruction of nets and equipment, making access to marine resources impossible under strict military control.

This collapse was not instantaneous but is the result of a suffocating naval blockade that has lasted for over 18 years, severely exacerbated during the last two years of war. The direct losses incurred by the agricultural and fishing sectors have reached approximately 2.8 billion dollars, reflecting the scale of the economic catastrophe that has befallen local producers.

In the markets of the central sector, specifically in Deir al-Balah, the absence of fresh fish, for which Gaza's sea was famous, is evident, replaced by imported frozen and chilled varieties. The process of introducing these alternatives is subject to complex arrangements and exorbitant financial costs, which raises their prices and makes them out of reach for the majority of citizens.

The scarcity of fish coincides with a sharp decline in the purchasing power of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians living under the burden of displacement and poverty. Even in the rare instances when some species are available, citizens find themselves unable to afford a fish meal that was once an essential part of the daily Gazan table.

Historically, the Oslo Accords stipulated the right of Palestinians to fish up to 20 nautical miles, but the reality on the ground was completely different. Since 2006, the occupation authorities have reduced this distance to only 6 miles, imposing this reality by force of arms and continuous intimidation against unarmed fishermen.

After October 2023, the permitted area shrank, at times reaching a depth of no more than 3 kilometers, before settling at only 800 meters from the shore. UN reports confirm that fishing in these very narrow areas harms the marine environment and leads to the depletion of small fish, threatening the vital sustainability of the sea.

For his part, Zakaria Bakr, head of the Fishermen's Committees, explained that the sea is practically closed and the actual fishing area is 'zero miles'. He pointed out that the occupation uses 'quadcopter' drones to drop bombs on anchored boats, confirming the killing of 67 fishermen in the very close area to the shore that is claimed to be permitted.

This suffering comes in the context of a comprehensive war of annihilation that has left more than 72,000 martyrs and 171,000 injured, with massive destruction affecting 90% of civilian infrastructure. In the absence of international initiatives to save the fishing sector, thousands of fishermen remain jobless and without hope of restoring their sole source of livelihood in the foreseeable future.

The current fishing area is zero miles, and the sea is practically closed to fishermen who face death when approaching the shore.