Question Earthority!

“For generations, the dagaa were so plentiful, it never occurred to anyone the abundance wouldn’t last. Sure, there are cycles of plenty and scarcity, largely driven by the moon and the weather. But fishermen always filled their nets over and over again. ‘Oh, it was so good,’ said Seph, recalling the days when he was first learning the trade 30 years ago. ‘When we used to fish with our fathers, it was really good. There were so many dagaa. People could fish 5,000 tons. Tons! Back in those days, there was so much dagaa.’ But now, Seph said, the catch is down. All along the Tanganyika basin, from Bujumbura in Burundi to Kalemie in the Congo to Mpulungu in Zambia, fishermen like Seph are beginning to say their lake is changing and with it, their way of life.” (03/24/06)