Red Sea turns into a battlefield, Yemeni fishermen face death every day at sea

Al-Makha, Yemen – The Red Sea waters off Yemen's coast, long a front line in the protracted conflict, have now become a death trap for local fishermen. Many have been forced to abandon their trade and seek alternative livelihoods as death lurks on every voyage.

Mazhar, a fisherman in the city of al-Makha (also known as Mocha) on the Red Sea coast, has struggled to make a living since the war reached his area in 2015. Fuel is expensive and boat rental costs are high, but the most terrifying prospect for this man in his early 40s, whose family depends entirely on his fishing income, is that each trip to sea may be his last.

“Recently, a fishing boat in al-Khawkhah was shot at, and we lost two colleagues. No one knows why, and the authorities have not released the cause of the incident,” Mazhar recounted. Venturing beyond the near-shore waters has become a dangerous gamble since the area turned into a battlefield – he knows fishermen who have disappeared without a trace. But when there is nothing left to eat at home, he still risks his life at sea.

Restrictions on the Red Sea

Yemen's Red Sea coast is one of the main hubs of the country's fisheries sector, which was the second-largest export earner after oil before the war. The Red Sea fishing industry has been affected since the early years of the conflict, with fish exports from the region dropping by about 70%, according to a 2018 study.

The area also holds particular strategic importance. The main port of Hodeidah lies about 160 km north of al-Makha, and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait sits at the southern entrance, controlling one of the world's most vital shipping lanes. As a result, the entire coastline has been fiercely contested since early in the war.

Currently, Houthi forces control most of the territory from Yemen's border with Saudi Arabia to Hodeidah, while pro-government forces, mainly the Republican Guard, operate south of the port city. The front line has been quiet in recent years, but the Houthis' recent attacks on pro-government forces across the country have also targeted al-Makha.

However, it is the developments in the Red Sea itself that have captured international attention. The Houthis began regularly attacking ships passing through the area after Israel launched its military campaign in Gaza in October 2023, and have recently also struck Saudi vessels. These attacks have prompted the United States, Britain, Israel, and Saudi Arabia to conduct multiple airstrikes on Houthi targets in Yemen, including in the Red Sea.

Mazhar said fishermen are now required to adhere to strict maritime boundaries they are not allowed to cross. This is not only the case in al-Makha but also in the neighboring district of al-Khawkhah and vast areas along the Red Sea coast.

“We spend money to buy barrels and old car frames to drop into the sea to create artificial reefs. However, whenever tensions in the Red Sea escalate, we are banned from approaching these reefs for military reasons and forced to fish near the shore,” Mazhar said.

The threat

“I cannot name the party restricting us because I am a fisherman, and speaking out could put me in danger,” Mazhar said. “But both warring sides have at different times prevented us from going to sea. We are victims of all factions fighting in our area.”

Before 2018, local fishermen said the National Resistance Forces (the predecessor of the later Republican Guard) barred them from deep waters and access to the reefs. Although restrictions were later eased, fishermen say both the Houthis and pro-government forces have imposed maritime movement restrictions since 2023.

“In the end, it is the fishermen who bear the burden of feeding their families. We have nothing to do with this war, yet we suffer its worst consequences,” Mazhar said. He added that some of his colleagues have been arrested on charges of smuggling or aiding one side against the other – accusations he says are entirely baseless.

Akram, another fisherman in al-Makha, described a different hazard: sea mines.

“Last year, I left home with two neighbors, and a sea mine exploded under their boat near the al-Khawkhah coast,” he recalled. “It was a mine – how could we avoid it? I can confirm that the Red Sea is no longer safe, and we have to move elsewhere.”

“We are witnessing the worst days on the Red Sea,” Akram added. “To be a fisherman on the Red Sea, you have to carry a burial shroud on your shoulder.”

Fouad Doubla, head of the al-Khawkhah Fishermen's Association, said more than 30,000 fishermen have been affected by conditions on the Red Sea coast and are struggling to meet their families' basic needs, as fishing is their sole source of income.

Doubla also said 113 fishermen have gone missing in the Red Sea since 2023, with their families receiving no information about their whereabouts. He added that the presence of sea mines is a direct consequence of the war, constantly threatening fishermen's lives.

“Mines have killed 264 fishermen and injured 215 others, forcing many to stop fishing and seek other work,” Doubla said, noting that fishermen have also been captured by pirates in the Red Sea.

Alternatives

Doubla explained that the difficulties and dangers faced by fishermen have driven many to look for alternative ways to earn money.

“When fishermen realize they cannot go to sea safely and their families lack food, they have no choice but to risk their lives on the sea or find another job – and many have chosen the latter to stay safe,” Doubla said.

For Akram, that meant moving to Aden, where he believes fishing on Yemen's southern coast is safer. “Nothing is worth risking our lives. The families of those who went missing are now struggling just to have enough food. I encourage my colleagues to join me in moving to a safe area.”

Ismail, 48, comes from a family of fishermen spanning generations but decided to leave the trade entirely last year. He sold all the fishing gear he had accumulated over 20 years and used the money to buy a minibus to run a transport service.

“Danger surrounds fishermen from every side, and we never know when we will meet our fate at sea,” Ismail told Al Jazeera while holding the steering wheel of his bus. “I don't think any wise person would continue fishing amid such peril.”

Ismail's wife supported his decision to quit and sold some of her jewelry to help him start the new business, relieved to end the constant worry she and their five children endured every time he went to sea.

“Sometimes we stayed at sea for four days, which is perfectly normal under normal circumstances,” Ismail said. “But today, that is no longer safe. When I'm out at sea for more than a day, my family panics, and I think they have every right to worry.”

Today, Ismail earns a modest income from driving the bus, but he is content with being safe and able to sit down to meals with his family without constant dread.

Mazhar, who still fishes near the shore, believes those who switched to new jobs made the right choice. “I have thought more than once about leaving this dangerous trade, but I have no other option,” he said. “As soon as I find another job, I will not hesitate for a second.”