Cairo’s fishermen, faced with dwindling catches from the Nile, are downing their rods and instead collecting plastic waste for recycling – an activity they say now yields a greater profit as pollution kills the river’s once bountiful marine life.
The 1,600-kilometre Nile river has become a dumping spot for rubbish and dead animals, the fishermen say, despite being the main source of water for the country's 106 million people.
“I alone remove no less than 200 to 500 kilos of plastic from the Nile every week,” said Arafa Saber, a 38-year-old fisherman and resident of Al Qusayrah, a Nile island in Giza province that forms a sizeable portion of Greater Cairo’s southwestern areas.
The plastic is mostly sold to recycling companies for an average price of 32 Egyptian pounds ($0.66) per kilogram. The figure varies slightly depending on the variety and quality, he said.
Mr Saber is not alone in his endeavour. Many fishermen, rubbish collectors and private sector initiatives have been striving to clean up the river for nearly a decade. The VeryNile initiative, which works to recycle the plastic into goods for sale, collected more than 200 tonnes of waste from the Nile between 2021 and 2023. A significant portion was plastic.
Around 10 years ago, Mr Saber and his fellow fishermen would catch between 20 and 25 kilograms of fish per day; now he is only able to fish between two and four kilograms. The quality of the fish has also deteriorated, he told The National, recounting that for the past year or two, many extracted from Greater Cairo stretches of the river – some of its most densely populated parts – have emitted a stench when opened and cleaned by fishmongers.
“A customer might fry the fish, thinking that it would get rid of the stink, and then throw it away without eating it. But because it is my livelihood, I catch it and sell it while feeling guilty because it’s fish that I myself wouldn’t eat,” Mr Saber said.
When he first started collecting rubbish, Mr Saber recounts being chastised by people who looked down on him. “Now, the same people who criticised me have themselves started to collect rubbish, and many even brought their children, friends and family members into the profession,” he said.
The practice has become commonplace in many areas of Cairo, not just along the Nile river, as Egyptians struggle with the high cost of living following a series of economic downturns.
While he initially “walked among people feeling embarrassed”, now he feels pride because “if I had to carry mud over my head to ensure my son’s safety, I would do that”. Mr Saber has learnt to ignore insults and sometimes attempts to educate people. In recent years, he has found that collecting trash is more profitable than fishing, and he intends to continue.
A group of fisherwomen in Giza’s Bahr El Aazam district told The National that the number of fish in the Nile has fallen in addition to their edibility. Many reported having to row their boats north or south of Cairo to reach stretches in more rural areas where the fish are healthier and more plentiful.
Umm Reda, 55, said extensive construction was to blame along the banks of the Nile in central Cairo, where a wave of state-sponsored projects have resulted in riverside promenades, cafes, restaurants and luxury high-rise apartments. She told The National she repeatedly saw construction materials being dumped in the river.
Egypt’s government, through its ministries of environment and water resources, has launched multiple clean-up initiatives, with several held to mark celebrations related to the environment, such as World Cleanup Day and Cairo Water Week. However, the government’s efforts have so far fallen short and initiatives like VeryNile, which has worked with fishermen in Al Qusayrah, are helping to fill the gap.
With millions of Egyptians facing economic hardship and anxiety, Mr Saber’s reliance on the Nile, even as a source of rubbish rather than fish, is a stark reminder of how essential the river is to Egypt’s people, who look to its waters for their livelihoods just as their ancestors did thousands of years ago.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
FFP EXPLAINED
What is Financial Fair Play?
Introduced in 2011 by Uefa, European football’s governing body, it demands that clubs live within their means. Chiefly, spend within their income and not make substantial losses.
What the rules dictate?
The second phase of its implementation limits losses to €30 million (Dh136m) over three seasons. Extra expenditure is permitted for investment in sustainable areas (youth academies, stadium development, etc). Money provided by owners is not viewed as income. Revenue from “related parties” to those owners is assessed by Uefa's “financial control body” to be sure it is a fair value, or in line with market prices.
What are the penalties?
There are a number of punishments, including fines, a loss of prize money or having to reduce squad size for European competition – as happened to PSG in 2014. There is even the threat of a competition ban, which could in theory lead to PSG’s suspension from the Uefa Champions League.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 3.5-litre V6
Power: 272hp at 6,400rpm
Torque: 331Nm from 5,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.7L/100km
On sale: now
Price: Dh149,000
The specs: 2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV
Price, base: Dh138,000 (estimate)
Engine: 60kWh battery
Transmission: Single-speed Electronic Precision Shift
Power: 204hp
Torque: 360Nm
Range: 520km (claimed)
Cinco in numbers
Dh3.7 million
The estimated cost of Victoria Swarovski’s gem-encrusted Michael Cinco wedding gown
46
The number, in kilograms, that Swarovski’s wedding gown weighed.
1,000
The hours it took to create Cinco’s vermillion petal gown, as seen in his atelier [note, is the one he’s playing with in the corner of a room]
50
How many looks Cinco has created in a new collection to celebrate Ballet Philippines’ 50th birthday
3,000
The hours needed to create the butterfly gown worn by Aishwarya Rai to the 2018 Cannes Film Festival.
1.1 million
The number of followers that Michael Cinco’s Instagram account has garnered.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Tips for job-seekers
- Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
- Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
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COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
2024%20Dubai%20Marathon%20Results
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The%20specs%3A%20Taycan%20Turbo%20GT
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MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Brief scores:
Arsenal 4
Xhaka 25', Lacazette 55', Ramsey 79', Aubameyang 83'
Fulham 1
Kamara 69'
The specs: 2018 BMW R nineT Scrambler
Price, base / as tested Dh57,000
Engine 1,170cc air/oil-cooled flat twin four-stroke engine
Transmission Six-speed gearbox
Power 110hp) @ 7,750rpm
Torque 116Nm @ 6,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined 5.3L / 100km
Who has been sanctioned?
Daniella Weiss and Nachala
Described as 'the grandmother of the settler movement', she has encouraged the expansion of settlements for decades. The 79 year old leads radical settler movement Nachala, whose aim is for Israel to annex Gaza and the occupied West Bank, where it helps settlers built outposts.
Harel Libi & Libi Construction and Infrastructure
Libi has been involved in threatening and perpetuating acts of aggression and violence against Palestinians. His firm has provided logistical and financial support for the establishment of illegal outposts.
Zohar Sabah
Runs a settler outpost named Zohar’s Farm and has previously faced charges of violence against Palestinians. He was indicted by Israel’s State Attorney’s Office in September for allegedly participating in a violent attack against Palestinians and activists in the West Bank village of Muarrajat.
Coco’s Farm and Neria’s Farm
These are illegal outposts in the West Bank, which are at the vanguard of the settler movement. According to the UK, they are associated with people who have been involved in enabling, inciting, promoting or providing support for activities that amount to “serious abuse”.
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
MATCH INFO
Manchester City 1 Chelsea 0
De Bruyne (70')
Man of the Match: Kevin de Bruyne (Manchester City)
SPECS
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Mane points for safe home colouring
- Natural and grey hair takes colour differently than chemically treated hair
- Taking hair from a dark to a light colour should involve a slow transition through warmer stages of colour
- When choosing a colour (especially a lighter tone), allow for a natural lift of warmth
- Most modern hair colours are technique-based, in that they require a confident hand and taught skills
- If you decide to be brave and go for it, seek professional advice and use a semi-permanent colour
Why the Tourist Club?
Originally, The Club (which many people chose to call the “British Club”) was the only place where one could use the beach with changing rooms and a shower, and get refreshments.
In the early 1970s, the Government of Abu Dhabi wanted to give more people a place to get together on the beach, with some facilities for children. The place chosen was where the annual boat race was held, which Sheikh Zayed always attended and which brought crowds of locals and expatriates to the stretch of beach to the left of Le Méridien and the Marina.
It started with a round two-storey building, erected in about two weeks by Orient Contracting for Sheikh Zayed to use at one these races. Soon many facilities were planned and built, and members were invited to join.
Why it was called “Nadi Al Siyahi” is beyond me. But it is likely that one wanted to convey the idea that this was open to all comers. Because there was no danger of encountering alcohol on the premises, unlike at The Club, it was a place in particular for the many Arab expatriate civil servants to join. Initially the fees were very low and membership was offered free to many people, too.
Eventually there was a skating rink, bowling and many other amusements.
Frauke Heard-Bey is a historian and has lived in Abu Dhabi since 1968.
