Reference :
V-P-IL-E-02999
Date :
19/04/2017
Caption :
Middle area, Deir al-Balah. Portrait of a fisherman, who benefited from an assistance programme of the ICRC for the maintenance of fishing boats.
Confidentiality level :
public
Publication restrictions :
publication without restrictions
Description :
This 46 years old, married with seven children. Two of his sons are university students.
He has worked as a fisherman ever since he was fifteen years old, just like his father and grandfather before him. Nowadays, his nine brothers work alongside him, operating the three fishing boats the family owns.
He first came in contact with the ICRC through the Fishermen’s Trade Union 10 years ago. It was a time when many boats, large and small were unfit for work. Repairing the vessels was costly and he needed about 5000 Shekels to finance the rehabilitation.
Just around this time, the ICRC was starting up a project to support fishing boat maintenance. It also provided spare parts for the boat engines. He was one of those helped by the project and he is full of appreciation for it, even though today most of those who benefitted are still unable to fish as they did before, due to the current limitations imposed on fishermen.
Before the limitation of the fishing zone to six nautical miles off the coast, during the various fishing seasons - such as the sardine season in April, he says he could earn up to 5000 Israeli Shekels a day. Today, his income is meager; he barely makes 300 Shekels and spends more than half of that on fuel; that’s why most of the boats are anchored, idle on the beach.
He spends his time sitting on the beach, repairing his nets. At times, he goes fishing too. The sporadic assistance he receives helps him to keep working. Fishing is the only job he knows.
For him, the happiest moments are when he has brought in a good catch of fish that helped him provide food for his family. However, his best memory of all time is definitely when his first child was born. His son is now a young man of 22.
Original material :
digital
Resolution :
4971x3542
Orientation :
landscape
Colour/B&W :
colour
