Lower thirds:

0:03  Report by / Matthew Mannion
0:32  Kawsu Leigh / Arson survivor
1:08  Abdou Sanyang / Association of Gambia sailors
1:43  Famara Ndure / Gambian fisherman

Script:

'We are going to call the authority'

Off Gambia's coast...

'You try to go up - Here is not your zone'

Local fisherman are locked in a running battle with foreign-owned trawlers for control.

'You destroy our nation'

A fight fueled by dwindling stocks and global demand...

With devastating consequences for some of those caught in the crossfire. 

These injuries are the result of an arson attack on an Egyptian-owned vessel in July last year.

Both men are Gambian crew members.

Kawsu Leigh, arson survivor:

"I felt the heatness. It's the heatness that I felt. It's not that I saw the fire. The heatness." 

Kawsu Leigh was left with severe burns...and now fears for his future.

Kawsu Leigh, arson survivor:

“I moved here. I go to hustle for my family. I have this kind of accident. Yeah, I think my life is finished.”

Incidents like this are causing deep concern - with locals now turning on each other at sea
as competition grows over these waters...

And who should be allowed to fish here...

Abdou Sanyang, Association of Gambia sailors:

“I think there should be a civilized way to handle that thing than to be jumping one another on, you know, in the sea waters to fight like that. It's very dangerous. ++SHOT CHANGE++ "So, all these things are happening. It's a sea war.”

Local fisherman believe their livlihoods are now under threat, and have no choice but to act.

They say industrial trawlers are fishing closer and closer to shore - violating THEIR waters.

The Ndure brothers claim to have lost more than half of their nets in recent years - And blame the government's decision to reopen its waters to foreign-owned vessels in 2017.

Famara Ndure, Gambian fisherman: 

“Since this new government, these trawlers are rampant here. Before they were upside, 15, 20 kilometres up. But now, they used to come up to 3, 4 kilometres down here fishing. This is why they are destroying our nets.”

Gambia's government has been trying to do more to calm the waters.

It now requires foreign vessels operating offshore to carry a quota of local crew.

It's also using the Navy to crackdown on illegal fishing.

But its poorly resourced and relies on international support.

Local fisherman say the government must do more to protect their rights and their futures.

As this fight over Gambia's waters threatens to pull their communities apart.