Fishing communities along the Mbali River in the Central African Republic are facing declining catches and mounting economic pressure as deforestation and rising temperatures threaten fish populations and aquatic ecosystems.
Residents of Boali say the growing scarcity of fish is making it increasingly difficult for fishermen to sustain their livelihoods, while traders struggle to meet rising demand from buyers travelling from other towns.
Jean-Romeo Senguemboli, a local fisherman, attributed the worsening situation partly to the felling of trees for charcoal production, a major source of fuel for cooking and heating.
He warned that continued tree loss could worsen water shortages and further threaten fish populations.
“Without trees, the land will burn, the water will dry up even more and there will soon be no fish left,” Senguemboli said, adding that fish had become smaller amid rising temperatures and climate change.
The effects are also being felt in local markets, where dwindling supplies are creating difficulties for traders and consumers.
Flore Ouagbele, a fishmonger in Boali, said demand had increased as buyers from towns such as Yaloké and the capital, Bangui, travelled to purchase fish, leaving local residents struggling to secure adequate supplies.
Environmental experts warn that deforestation can disrupt the ecological conditions needed to sustain freshwater fisheries. The removal of trees can increase soil erosion and sediment entering rivers, affect water quality and damage habitats where fish breed and reproduce.
Yves Kaengonza, an environment expert at the Central African Ministry of Water, Forests, Hunting and Fisheries, said tree felling was destroying fish breeding grounds and contributing to the pressures facing aquatic life.
Reduced water levels and deteriorating water quality can also affect dissolved oxygen levels, making survival and reproduction more difficult for some fish species.
The situation underscores the connection between forest conservation, food security and the economic survival of communities that depend on rivers for their livelihoods.
The Central African Republic forms part of the Congo Basin, which contains the world’s second-largest tropical rainforest after the Amazon. The basin plays an important role in regulating the climate, supporting biodiversity and sustaining millions of people.
However, demand for charcoal and other forest resources continues to put pressure on parts of the region, highlighting the challenge of balancing household energy needs with environmental protection.
The crisis in Boali comes as nearly 200 countries meet at a United Nations biodiversity summit in Armenia to discuss deforestation, pollution and other threats to nature.
For fishing communities along the Mbali River, the challenge is immediate: protecting the surrounding environment is increasingly tied to the availability of fish, household incomes and the security of local food supplies.
