The Post and Courier is partnering with the Pulitzer Center's Ocean Reporting Network to highlight critical climate issues. Lire en français Ibrahim Niang could leave Senegal. He knows how to prepare his long wooden boat for the 1,000-mile voyage to the Canary Islands. He’s 34 years old, young enough to make a big move, as so many of his friends have done. He has the skills and equipment to take himself far away — take others too, if he chooses. And there are many reasons to go. The ocean? It’s not the same. The seas are warmer. He has to take his boat farther offshore to find octopus and sardines. And there are those giant commercial fishing boats off the coast, huge floating fish factories that scour the ocean’s marine life on an industrial scale. And aren’t there more opportunities in Europe? North America? Some of his friends have even called him a coward for staying. Niang’s story mirrors ones playing out in different variations around the globe, from struggling shrimpers in South Carolina and New England to cod fishermen in the United Kingdom . Catching fish is inherently unpredictable, but global warming is adding even more uncertainty to an already challenging livelihood. So on a recent afternoon, as Niang took his small pirogue out to sea, he pondered a question that thousands of West Africans have asked themselves during the past decade: Should I go? Ibrahim Niang, a fisherman from Thiaroye Sur Mer, a village near the Senegalese capital of Dakar, has the means, skills and boats to leave Senegal. There are many reasons to stay. Niang lives in Thiaroye Sur Mer, a fishing village on the outskirts of Dakar, Senegal’s capital. His family is in Thiaroye Sur Mer, including his wife and two children. And fishing has been his life, his identity. As with many of his peers, he dropped out of primary school to learn how to fish. Over time, he built and captained his own pirogues — the long banana-shaped boats used by fishermen in West Africa. He was part of something larger. Here off the coast, powerful ocean currents meet and provide a bounty of marine life: sardines, octopus, grouper. An estimated fleet of 19,000 pirogues and other small vessels line Senegal’s coast. At least 86,000 fishermen catch more than 500,000 tons of seafood a year, according to a United Nations estimate. Fish and seafood represent more than 40 percent of the animal protein in the Senegalese diet. Niang was helping to feed his family and the nation. Niang’s day often begins around sunrise, when he motors out to sea. He said he uses lines to hook octopuses one by one, the legal way. Some fishermen use nets, which is illegal, but he doesn’t want to be arrested and lose his fishing gear. Playing by the rules is good for the fish and fishermen, he said. Along Senegal’s coast, communities of fishermen formed associations to manage fishing harvests, including Thiaroye Sur Mer’s Local Artisanal Fishing Council. These councils enacted seasonal fishing bans to allow certain species to reproduce. But no fish means no money and food. So when the sea is off-limits for fishing, some boat captains make money by loading people into their pirogues and taking them to the Canary Islands to start new lives. Niang knows how dangerous the sea can be, another reason to stay. He knows people who have died making these illegal voyages. He knows some trips ended in disasters that generated international headlines. Like one in September, where the Senegal navy found a boat adrift with 30 decomposing bodies off Dakar. And the one in August, where a boat with at least 14 bodies was found drifting off the coast of the Dominican Republic, thousands of miles from home. In just the first five months of 2024, at least 4,800 people died trying to reach the Canary Islands from West Africa, according to a report by Ca-Minando Fronteras , a Spanish human rights group. Niang understands the risks. But there are also powerful forces pushing him to leave. Senegal's Langue de Barbarie area has seen major erosion amid rising seas, threatening fishing villages that have existed there for generations. How heat in seas off West Africa is making the Atlantic’s hurricane season a nightmare The sea is changing. Off the coast of Senegal and Mauritania, winds blowing off the continent push surface waters westward, drawing colder, nutrient-rich waters from the ocean floor. It’s called the Canary upwelling current, and fishermen like Niang depend on this system to fertilize the sea just as farmers fertilize their fields. But a rapidly warming planet has disrupted wind patterns and ocean currents. As the atmosphere warms, those westward winds blowing off West Africa are likely to decrease, possibly slowing that Canary upwelling conveyor belt, researchers at Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar and the Sorbonne in France have found. Seas off West Africa have grown warmer, mirroring increases across the planet. During the past two years, scientists have recorded underwater heat waves off West Africa , which can affect everything from sea life to the formation of Atlantic hurricanes. Warmer waters have caused some species to migrate, said Selle Mbengue, director of direction and management of seabed exploitation in Senegal. Fish that need cooler water are moving north, including sardines and mackerel, he said. Coral reefs are bleaching. At the same time, industrial fishing from foreign trawlers has depleted fish stocks, while coastal erosion from rising seas has stolen land from fishing villages that line Senegal’s coast, said Ngoné Ndoye, a founder and director of FEMIDEC — Women, Children, Migration and Community Development. These forces are “washing away our homes, our history, our world. They’re erasing our lives,” she said. Niang feels all of these pressures. And there’s money to be made if he goes. Fishermen in Senegalese villages like Yoff are under pressure from overfishing and changing migration patterns of sea life because of climate change. He knows how it could be done. Like many fishermen, Niang has small boats for short trips and access to larger boats for longer voyages, including the one he motored toward on a recent afternoon. The larger boat was like the smaller pirogue but about 120 feet long. He uses long wires with hooks to catch larger fish. Such boats cost about $15,000 to build with new materials and ones recycled from older boats. He said he’s received plenty of offers to captain such a boat to the Canary Islands. All he would have to do is remove the fishing nets and other gear and use plywood to create seats. Captains typically get 10 seats they can use as they wish — selling them or offering them to loved ones. He estimated that this boat could hold 200 people, including luggage, gasoline containers and motors. There would be little room with so many people, and they’re dangerous to load. Passengers typically are shuttled to these larger boats in smaller pirogues, and people sometimes fall into the water when they try to climb in. And with so many people, the boats can be unstable in the waves. It’s well-known in his circles that many people who make these voyages don’t know how to swim. Even if the boat hugs the coast, a capsize is often a death sentence. He could make extra money taking people away, and this is especially tempting during the seasonal fishing bans. There’s no shortage of people willing to risk their lives to leave. So far in 2024, nearly 40,000 migrants landed in the Canary Islands, Spanish authorities said. This represents a 23 percent increase from 2023 and is likely a vast undercount. "My friends are just waiting for the opportunity to cross to Spain,” he said. Ibrahim Niang, a Senegal fisherman with a big decision to make. Are there other options? Yes, he said, he could stay and work at a seafood processor or some other company on land. Sometimes, officials from companies come to his village seeking workers. The pay is steady but is so low you have little left to save. “With fishing, you can earn 100,000 CFA ($160) in one day and nothing the next day, but during the week, you can save at least 30,000 CFA ($50) on average. This is why we prefer fishing to working in a company.” He also could leave Senegal but do it the legal way: Line up work in Europe first, apply for a visa and then go. He has a family, after all. It’s not cowardly to think about their needs and reduce risks. "Nothing is worth the risk of losing your life for an uncertain future abroad. It is useless." Leaving Senegal is one of many currents he can follow. But there’s also dignity in fishing, dignity in working for yourself instead of someone else. There’s the beauty and challenges of the ocean, like those full moon nights when the sea looks like a mirror, and the shimmering serves as camouflage for the fish. “No,” he said finally, “my boat is not going to Spain.” Hundreds of fishing pirogues crowd the Senegal River on April 28, 2023, in Saint-Louis. Tony Bartelme of The Post and Courier contributed to this report. Will hurricanes hammer the East Coast? We traveled to the Sahara Desert to find answers.China Life: Accumulated Original Insurance Premium Income Reached Approximately RMB 644.3 Billion in First 11 Months, up by 4.8% Year-on-YearUS lawmakers voted Wednesday after fraught negotiations to move forward with a contentious 2025 defense budget that raises troops' pay but blocks funding of gender-affirming care for some transgender children of service members. The centerpiece of the $884 billion National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) -- which was green-lit by the Republican-led House of Representatives but still needs Senate approval -- is a 14.5 percent pay increase for junior enlisted service members and 4.5 percent for other personnel. But talks over the 1,800-page-plus text were complicated by a last-minute Republican intervention to prevent the military's health program from covering gender-affirming care for children of service members if it results in "sterilization." "Citizens don't want their tax dollars to go to this, and underaged people often regret these surgeries later in life," Nebraska Republican Don Bacon told CNN. "It's a bad hill to die on for Democrats." Gender-affirming health care for children is just one of multiple fronts in the so-called "culture wars" that polarize US politics and divide the country, with Republicans using the issue as a cudgel against Democrats in November's elections. The funding block angered progressives, and prompted the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee to come out against the legislation. "As I said a few days ago, blanketly denying health care to people who need it -- just because of a biased notion against transgender people -- is wrong," Adam Smith, who represents a district in Washington state, said in a statement. "The inclusion of this harmful provision puts the lives of children at risk and may force thousands of service members to make the choice of continuing their military service or leaving to ensure their child can get the health care they need." Smith slammed House Speaker Mike Johnson for pandering to "the most extreme elements of his party" by including the transgender provision. The must-pass NDAA -- a bill that Congress has sent to the president's desk without fail every year since 1961 -- cleared the chamber in a 281-140 vote and now moves to the Senate, with final passage expected next week. The topline figure is one percent above last year's total and, with funding from other sources, brings the total defense budget to just under $900 billion. Some foreign policy hawks on the Republican side of the Senate wanted $25 billion more for the Pentagon but they are still expected to support the bill. "The safety and security of the American people is our top priority, and this year's NDAA ensures our military has the resources and the capabilities needed to remain the most powerful fighting force on the planet," Johnson told reporters. ft/mlm
8. Esc for Menu:
The decision to launch the game exclusively on the Epic Games Store has been met with excitement and anticipation. The platform, known for its wide selection of games and developer-friendly approach, offers a new avenue for fans to discover and enjoy "Black Myth: Wu Kong." With its seamless integration with the Epic Games Launcher and exclusive perks for players, the partnership between Game Science Studio and Epic Games promises to elevate the gaming experience to new heights.
A 70-year odyssey against the tide
Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corp director sells $307,040 in stockLooking ahead, the outlook for foreign trade remains promising, with continued emphasis on achieving quality growth and stability. Key priorities for the future include further diversifying export markets, expanding the range of export products and services, and harnessing emerging technologies to enhance trade efficiency and effectiveness.
Pop sensation Ed Sheeran has taken to social media to apologise after accidentally gatecrashing a live interview with new Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim. Watch selected NRL, AFL, SSN games plus every F1 qualifying session and race live in 4K on Kayo. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited time offer. Amorim was being interviewed on Sky Sports after United’s 1-1 draw with Ipswich, who Sheeran owns a minority stake in. Sheeran interrupted the interview to speak with analyst Jamie Redknapp, who initially greeted the singer before quickly suggesting he could “come and say hello in a minute”. Sheeran, clearly oblivious to the fact Amorim was being interviewed on live TV, posted an apology on his Instagram story on Monday morning, writing he felt like “a bit of a bell***”. “Apologies if I offended Amorim yesterday, didn’t actually realise he was being interviewed at the time, was popping to say hi and bye to Jamie,” Sheeran wrote on his Instagram story. “Obv feel a bit of a bell*** but life goes on. Great game though, congrats on all involved x”. Sheeran is a lifelong Ipswich supporter and has been a shirt sponsor for both the men’s and women’s teams since 2021. The 33-year-old bought a 1.4 percent minority stake in the club in August following their promotion to the English top flight for the first time in 22 years. Singer-songwriter Sheeran, a four-time Grammy award winner, has also found a new role at Ipswich. The club’s chairman Mark Ashton previously revealed he was even instrumental in the recruitment of one player after joining a video call with the potential signing. “A local man, global superstar, sponsor of the football club, now a shareholder and now officially part of our recruitment team,” Ashton said at a Soccerex event on Thursday. “In the summer we were trying to persuade one particular player to join the football club and realised very quickly that he was an Ed Sheeran fan. “Ed jumped on a Zoom call with him at the training ground just before he stepped on stage with Taylor Swift, hopefully that was a key part of getting the player across the line. “We’ve gone from the third tier of English football to the Premier League, but we haven’t forgotten our roots and Ed’s a key part of that, the work that we do in our local communities is central to us.” Sheeran watched Ipswich’s first game of the season against Liverpool at Portman Road and was also at Tottenham when Kieran McKenna’s team secured their first Premier League win of the campaign in November. “I have lived in Suffolk since I was three years old and, while I travel the world and sometimes feel like an outsider in big cities, Suffolk and Ipswich have always made me feel part of the community and protected,” Sheeran said earlier this year. “It’s such a joy to be a fan of Ipswich Town. There are ups and downs but football is all about taking the highs and the lows.”Tabi shoes are turning heads from Hollywood to Melbourne. What makes this Japanese footwear so special?