Working Lives: The Fisherman Who Left School for the Sea
Fishermen are one of the most hardworking people we have ever spoken to. The job is very dangerous in addition to being arduous– they battle extreme cold and treacherous winds while sailing deep into the ocean. It is hence a big shock how little they earn. Having money to buy a refrigerator is almost a life-changing investment. While working on the interviews, one of the fishermen, a Ghanian, has quit to work as an interpreter for a Chinese businessman in Accra. Another has significantly improved his income- he met an events planner that he supplies directly.
“But one day I missed school and went fishing with my dad. I was in primary six. I thought about the money I would make every day instead of going to school. So that’s how I quit school and became a fisherman. I worked under my dad for 3 years before starting to go to the sea on my own.”
Tengba
Tell us about your background
I was born in Accra, Ghana. My father is also a fisherman, just like I am right now. My mom is a petty trader. She sells second hand children clothes – what you call okrika in Lagos. None of them has any education.
When did you start working as a fisherman?
In 2010. This was the year I started fishing on my own. I had always gone to fish in the sea with my dad. We sold our catch to women in markets in Kumasi and Accra. I usually went to the sea with my dad during weekends or holidays. But one day I missed school and went fishing with my dad. I was in primary six. I thought about the money I would make every day instead of going to school. So that’s how I quit school and became a fisherman. I worked under my dad for 3 years before starting to go to the sea on my own.
Your dad did not object?
Yes, he never complained or protested. I thought the point of going to school was just to make money. Fishing provided a way to make quick and easy money; I didn’t have to do any homework, that’s how you see things as a 12 year old. Perhaps my dad also thought he didn’t have to spend money on school fees and uniform once I became a fisherman
How did you start selling fish in Nigeria?
A friend in Ghana who is also a fisherman started fishing around the waters in Lagos. He developed contacts to sell the fish in markets on Lagos Island. I joined up with him. Lagos has a huge market for fish; the elite spend a lot of money on a wild variety of fish. We used to come to fish around Lagos twice every month. But I have stopped now. It was good when we started, we were making good money. But the women we sell to got greedy. They started offering us peanuts while selling the fish for a lot more money. So it was like we were risking our lives going to fish in the high sea to make them rich. It wasn’t making sense anymore, so I stopped coming to fish and sell in Lagos. And I also have a new job in Accra.
So, what is this new job?
I work as a personal assistant and interpreter to a foreigner who runs a factory in Accra. I communicate his instructions to the workers. I also attend meetings he holds with indigenes where I also sometimes interpret. The money is better than fishing.
Back to your former life as a fisherman, how far did you have to go when fishing?
We go really far into the sea before we can find the species of fish that people really like – Salmon, Octopus, and Cuttlefish e.t.c. I am not really good with numbers so I can’t tell you how many kilometers we sail into the deep sea. When you sail for 12 or 14 hours away from Lagos on the high sea, it becomes extremely cold. You are very far away from any human settlement; all you see is an endless stretch of water. You don’t even see any bird in the sky. Everything is completely silent. It is eerie but also magical.
Did you feel you were in any danger?
Yes. You could get lost at sea. Once on the high sea after travelling about 10 hours from Lagos, we couldn’t tell where we were. We just kept sailing deep into the ocean, sailing for hours and hours, moving round in circles. We could not figure out how to sail back to Lagos or towards Accra. This was because the GPS which we always attached to our compass to enable us navigate stopped working. But we had very experienced guys on the boat so we were able to find our way back to Lagos. After this, we always went on the sea with backup navigational equipment.
Also Read: BIG READ – The Fishmongers of Makoko
Interesting. So, when you go far into the sea how many days do you spend?
We spend between 5 – 8 days on the sea. We take with us enough foodstuff and water that would last us through that period. We have ingredients we take along and cook on the sea. We have a stove on the boat.
How many of you usually sail on the sea?
Anything between 6 and 14 men. The more we are, the safer we feel. We sail in 2 or 3 boats. If anything goes wrong with a boat, guys in the other boat can help.
Do you find the fish in the same location?
No, we go to different locations to get different types. What we do is note the type of fish you can find in different areas and use the fish to name these spots on our GPS. So for instance, if we want to catch barracuda, you just pick the spot on our GPS that is named barracuda. This is how you differentiate an experienced fisherman from a novice.
What is the most expensive fish that you catch?
It is xxx. We try to sell it ourselves to get more money for it. The market women don’t pay us a lot for it. But they are the ones who have the customers who look for these unique fish. We try and sell by the roadside but nobody buys from us. The buyers go to the women who sell to them in the market. This is why I quit.
How much would you normally sell it to these women and how much do you think they sell for?
That’s the thing! I don’t know how much these women sell for. It’s that bad. But we sell to them for between N2,000 and N4,000 per kilo. I don’t know what they eventually sell for, but I am sure they have very fat profit margins from underpaying us.
Do you build those boats yourself or buy them ready-made?
We buy them in Ghana.
How much does a boat cost in Ghana?
It’s expensive and depends on where you buy it. It ranges from 30,000 Ghanaian Cedis ($400) upwards.
We buy them, paint them and sail on them to Nigeria. The journey takes a day or two depending on the type of boat and how powerful the engine is. My crew and I usually arrive Lagos from Accra in 24 hours if there is no traffic.
There is traffic on water too?
Not really. It depends on the Navy. Once we approach Nigerian waters, we encounter the Navy. They carry out routine checks to be sure we are not drugs or arms traffickers. If you have a valid passport and identification documents and there is nothing illegal in your boat, they don’t really waste your time. But we still have to bribe them just to gain goodwill. Also, some of our crew may not have identity papers. The Navy men could ask us to return to Ghana or even arrest us. Paying them stops them from being so difficult.
So how does the crew share the money?
This is how it works. The boats don’t belong to us. As I told you, even the average boat costs 30,000 Cedis. So, the owner of the boat takes the most of what we get from sales, while we fishermen share the rest. To avoid misunderstanding, we give the money to the captain to share. When it comes to money, the person who you think is your friend might become aggressive if he feels you are trying to cheat him. So we all agree that the captain, who is usually an elderly person and has been in the job for a long time, share the money.
How much of your income were you able to save?
Save? I have a family of 3, a wife and two children. After paying for their upkeep there is never anything left to save. Once we pay the boat there is very little left to share. It was very tough; I am happy that I am out.
So, you will never go back to fishing?
No. My mouth is wider now than it was in 2010, so the money will never be enough. I could fish for the fun of it but not catch fish to sell. Those days are gone forever.
