Diving hazards put Somalia’s crustacean fishermen in deep water

Declining crustacean stocks force local fishermen to use improvised diving gear at greater depths and further from shore.

Published on 19 November 2025 in ISS Today

By

Halkano Wario
East Africa Regional Organised Crime Observatory, ENACT, ISS Nairobi

Samira Aden Abdi
Research Officer, East Africa Regional Organised Crime Observatory, ENACT, ISS Nairobi

Ahmed is paralysed from the waist down due to nitrogen poisoning from using dangerous gear while deep-sea diving for crustaceans. ‘The catch is smaller every time, but we have to survive. Honug is our lifeline,’ he says through painful spasms and a wheezing chest, in Eyl, on the Puntland coast.

Honug is a form of daredevil snorkelling using rudimentary devices made of flexible pipes and vehicle air compressor tanks that Somali fisherfolk use to find ever-dwindling stocks of lobster and shrimp. The fishers say shortages are because of illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing by foreign vessels operating within the 24 nautical miles allocated to local fishermen by Somalia’s fisheries laws.

Illegal fishing in these waters is estimated to cost Somalia up to US$300 million annually. It is perpetrated mainly by fishing vessels from Yemen, Pakistan, Iran, China and Spain, which are only authorised to operate between 24 and 200 nautical miles of Somalia’s exclusive economic zone.

Once a seasoned fisherman, Ahmed (not his real name) is a shell of his former self. He once went as far as 30 km into the ocean with other fishermen, using honug to spend two to three hours at a time underwater to bring in a good catch.

These long dives sustained him and his family, and he would sell his catch to local Somali companies and Chinese exporters, who shipped the seafood to markets in Asia and the United Arab Emirates. Ahmed sold the lobsters he caught for between US$5 and US$10 per kilogram – much less than what they fetched overseas.

Doctors have said Ahmed needs immediate surgery, but he cannot afford it. He’s bedridden, facing not only physical pain, but also being unable to provide for his family.

The once-bustling fishing business in the seaside town of Eyl has become a struggle for survival

The once-bustling fishing business in Eyl, a seaside town in the semi-autonomous Puntland State of Somalia, has become a struggle for survival. Once plentiful fishing grounds have grown barren, and local fishermen must dive deeper and ride further to find the prized crustaceans.

Residents told ENACT researchers that at least five fishermen died between October 2024 and February 2025 due to diving to depths of 30 metres or more for 15-20 minutes to harvest crustaceans. Abdinour Mohamed Hiirad, a medical officer and former fisherman based in Eyl, says around 10 deaths and 23 injuries have been reported in Eyl and surrounding villages in the past year.

Eyl’s mayor says there have been more victims of honug in the past two years than ever before, as fishermen cannot afford appropriate, safe diving gear and boats. Researchers from the Puntland Development and Research Center (PDRC) agree, reporting that nitrogen poisoning among fishermen, which results in injuries and death, is common along Somalia’s coast. However, they say it is underreported and rarely addressed.

Even the longer and more dangerous dives often yield little to no catch, due to the rapid decline in crustacean stocks in recent years. Locals who spoke to ENACT attribute overfishing to better-equipped foreign vessels, which have little regard for local fishers’ territorial rights.

This is supported by PDRC researchers, who say foreign operators take advantage of inadequate enforcement capacity. The lack of mechanisms to enforce seasonal restrictions on both local and foreign vessels between March and September means fish populations cannot recover. Crustacean fishing during the ‘off’ season is common, and the resulting overfishing harms local livelihoods.

Nitrogen poisoning among fishermen, which results in injuries and death, is common along Somalia’s coast

Ahmed and his colleagues have also had confrontations with foreign fishing vessels in Somali waters. ‘Vessels from Iran, Yemen and China have threatened our safety at sea,’ he recalls. ‘On one occasion, they even tried to run me down, attempting to crush my small boat. When I confronted them and demanded they stay within their allocated sea zone, they threatened to kill me.’

Local resentment against foreign ships has fuelled piracy and facilitated organised crimes such as arms, human and commodity trafficking and smuggling. Between December 2024 and March 2025, at least three vessels were seized by suspected pirates in the waters off Eyl.

Addressing the harms from illegal fishing and honug requires a combination of community-based management, improved governance and international cooperation. The Puntland Maritime Police Force could engage local fishers to report out-of-season crustacean fishing and the presence of foreign vessels in local fishing zones.

Involving local fishermen in monitoring and reporting could bridge gaps in regulation and enforcement, as they have extensive knowledge of the marine ecosystem and their fishing partners. In Tanzania for example, a community-led initiative allows local fishers to actively monitor and enforce fishing regulations.

Involving local fishermen in monitoring and reporting could bridge gaps in regulation and enforcement

Greater collaboration is needed between Somalia’s Federal Government and Puntland to strengthen and enforce fisheries regulations. Given both governments’ resource inadequacy, they could collaborate with Somalia’s international partners to address illegal fishing and the health risks and livelihood disruptions caused by the use of improvised diving gear.

Practical interventions include partnering with international bodies to subsidise safe diving gear and vessels, and provide soft loans and civic awareness campaigns on the hazards of honug. Prospective partners include the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), United Nations (UN) Food and Agriculture Organization and European Union.

Such interventions have been successful in countries like Angola, where IFAD supports an artisanal fisheries project that provides training and helps fishers acquire boats, nets, and engines. Another example is the International Fund for Fishing Safety, which has pledged to boost fisher safety in six countries, including Kenya, by providing lifejackets and training.

As a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, Somalia could advocate for expanding sanctions against countries and companies that engage in illegal fishing in its waters. Somalia’s maritime security agencies could also partner with allies such as Turkey to patrol and enforce regulations within its waters.

This article was first published by ENACT.