Middle east fuel crisis keeps Mozambique fishermen ashore

Rising fuel prices linked to tensions in the Middle East are forcing many fishermen in Mozambique's capital to keep their boats anchored, threatening livelihoods and driving up the cost of living in one of the world's poorest countries.

Along the shores of Maputo's Pescadores fishing community, dozens of small wooden boats remain idle as fishermen struggle to afford fuel following a government price hike announced in early May. The increase was attributed to disruptions in global fuel markets caused by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

The impact is being felt across the fishing sector, where thousands of families depend on daily catches for survival.

Carlos Silvestre Nguenha, Vice President of the Community Council of Fishermen in Maputo's fishermen village, said the crisis demonstrates how global conflicts can have far-reaching consequences.

"We appeal to the countries that are in conflict, because these conflicts don't only affect those countries, they affect the whole world, because this precious liquid doesn't just help Iran, it doesn't just help the United States of America, it helps the whole world. So we appeal to them to sit down and talk so that we can overcome this confusion that is happening because it affects the world in general."

Nguenha's council represents approximately 1,800 fishermen and nearly 290 boats operating along the Costa do Sol coastline. Many fishermen have reported cutting trips short or staying ashore altogether because they cannot afford the fuel needed to reach productive fishing grounds.

The fuel shortage and higher prices are also affecting fish traders, many of whom rely entirely on daily sales to support their families.

Martinha Djive, a fish seller in the community, said the disruption is having a direct impact on household incomes and children's education.

"When there's no fuel, what you do affects us so much because our children don't go to school, we don't have money to buy rice, or anything else. First, because we're not studying and we're not doing anything, our children depend on this place."

Mozambique's energy regulator raised petrol prices by 12 percent and diesel prices by nearly 46 percent in May. The increase has triggered long queues at filling stations and reduced fuel availability across the country.

The effects extend well beyond the fishing industry. With fuel serving as a critical input for transportation and commerce, economists warn that higher energy costs are likely to drive inflation and further strain vulnerable households.

Teresa Boene, an economist and researcher at the Centre for Public Integrity (CIP), said fuel shortages create a ripple effect throughout the economy.

"Fuel is the engine of the economy, and when there is a fuel shortage or when its price increases... one thing leads to another. A fuel shortage tends to put pressure on price increases, and this will trigger a chain reaction of increases in the prices of products and services on the market."

According to the World Bank, Mozambique remains one of the world's poorest countries, with more than 80 percent of the population living on less than three dollars a day. Analysts warn that external shocks such as the Middle East conflict, combined with domestic economic challenges, leave little room for the government to cushion the impact on struggling communities.

For now, many fishermen in Maputo remain ashore, waiting for fuel prices to stabilize and hoping that a crisis unfolding thousands of kilometres away will not continue to determine whether they can earn a living.