Deforestation threatens fish stocks and livelihoods in Central African Republic

Deforestation is threatening fish populations and the livelihoods of fishing communities along the Mbali River, as residents of Boali report increasingly scarce catches.

Jean-Romeo Senguemboli, a local fisherman, says trees are being cut down to produce charcoal for cooking and heating, worsening environmental pressures and making it harder for fishermen to earn a living.

“Without trees, the land will burn, the water will dry up even more and there will soon be no fish left,” he warned, adding that fish have become smaller amid rising temperatures and climate change.

The shortage is also affecting local markets. Fishmonger Flore Ouagbele says demand is increasing as buyers arrive from towns including Yaloké and Bangui to purchase supplies, leaving Boali residents struggling to find enough fish.

Experts say deforestation contributes to lower water levels, increased water turbidity and reduced oxygen, making it more difficult for fish to survive and reproduce. Yves Kaengonza, an environment expert at the Central African Ministry of Water, Forests, Hunting and Fisheries, also warned that tree felling destroys fish breeding grounds.

The crisis highlights the wider challenges facing the Congo Basin, the world’s second-largest tropical rainforest after the Amazon.

Meanwhile, nearly 200 countries are meeting at a United Nations biodiversity summit in Armenia to discuss deforestation, pollution and other threats to nature.