The coastal road is blocked • The fishermen's protest: "We prevent people from getting to work just as they prevent us from earning a living" ► Watch

The coastal road was blocked at this time (Sun. 22/5/22) by fishermen and their families in the Atlit area, in protest of their living conditions. "We prevent people from coming to work as they prevent us," they said. The fishermen put boats attached to trailers on the road and started traveling at a speed of 5 km/h along the coastal road.

The coastal road was blocked this morning from the Egged to Atlit junction, by fishermen and their families who came out in protest over the elimination of their source of livelihood. The fishermen put boats attached to trailers on the road and started traveling at a speed of 5 km/h along the coastal road.

'Want to make a living with dignity' ► The fishermen's demonstration • Watch

Prohibitions that harmed the fishing industry

As I recall, the fishing reform was accepted by the former minister, Uri Ariel, who accepted the position of the Society for the Protection of Nature and others and signed a number of bans that eliminated the fishing industry, including a ban on coastal fishing during the breeding season, a ban on trawl fishing during the recruitment period, as well as a ban on ring net fishing ( less than 500 meters from the beach).

"Instead of the sea, we will throw nets on the road" ► Watch

"They are taking the livelihood from 5000 families"

Gil Sassover, Chairman of the Fishermen's Association in Israel:
"They decided to prevent approximately 5,000 families from continuing to earn a decent living without providing compensation, contrary to the professional position of the Fisheries Division. They sacrificed the fishermen for their friend the gas, as they showed in the investigation of the pipeline and as warned by professionals in the ministry itself. In our time it is forbidden to work in Egypt, Gaza, Lebanon and Syria continue to work As usual. It's terrible. We see the fish here and the next day we buy them from somewhere else. We'll become a nature reserve for our neighbors who don't understand what we're doing. There is no country in the world where traditional fishing is stopped. This fisherman is embraced all over the world and only here is eliminated. Last month They said in the fisheries department that they would publish the conditions for compensation at the beginning of the month, but like every year we received nothing. Even prisoners have rights. They know when there are visits, television, meals. We are worse for the Ministry of Agriculture."

"This is abuse"

"We are being killed and they don't even bother to tell us if there will be compensation, when, how much and who will receive it. We are unable to understand this bad policy. This is abuse that did not start today. This is an ongoing state of the elimination of fishing in Israel, and we will not agree to this. We will fight for the end !. Every week we will block another major road in the country and prevent citizens from getting to work as long as fishermen are prevented from working in their field of occupation. We demand that the Minister of Agriculture sit down with us and understand how interested parties influenced his predecessor in office to make a terrible decision for tens of thousands of citizens whose existence depends on the livelihood of the fishing husband. To the public In Israel, fresh fish comes from our sea, as in any other country that lies by the sea. Fishing is a respectable industry all over the world, only here it was sacrificed and everyone knows why. You don't have to be a genius."

"We are of no interest to anyone"

Noor, a fisherman's wife who was present at the demonstration:
"Understand, they made decisions to impose barriers and prohibitions that in practice eliminated the livelihood of my husband and other fishermen. What will he do? Where will he get money? What will he do for a living? He can't be on computers or an accountant tomorrow morning, he's a fisherman! That's what the fight is about, for 5,000 fishing families who are More than 20 souls (women and children). They didn't think about us, we can be thrown into the sea, the owner of the fisherman is interested."

Eyad Mahmid, a professional fisherman from Haifa:
"They closed the industry to us. They denied us our only source of livelihood and with it the way to pay bills, support and education for our children. We have no other profession or degree. Denying the possibility of making a living from fishing sentenced us to death."

Sami Khaldi, a professional and sports fisherman said in a casual conversation:
"Our demonstration today, the professional fishermen, is following the ban on fishing during the breeding season that began about two weeks ago. We demand from the state that during this period, the fishermen who make a living from fishing, they will receive financial compensation so that they can continue to support their families. According to many studies that have been done, there is no harm or impediment to fishing During the breeding season. Many countries authorize fishing during this period as well. In addition, we are protesting against the closing of nature reserves that serve other interests, such as the laying of pipelines for the gas rigs, whether it is in the Rosh Carmel reserve or the Rosh Hankara reserve."

Rafi Cohen, spokesman for the Y.E.D association for the promotion of sport fishing and the preservation of the marine environment, gave a speech:
"Today the demonstration is for the professional fishermen. We work in cooperation and will hold joint demonstrations together in the future. The demonstration they are holding today is a justified demonstration. Their demonstration today is being held following the damage to their livelihood with the decision to ban fishing during the breeding season as well as the closure of nature reserves to fishing. Fishing is allowed all over the world in all reserves Fishing only here in Israel, the Society for the Protection of Nature and the Nature and Parks Authority decided to permit any activity and the laying of gas pipes and only fishing is prohibited. We believe that green organizations and nature and environment organizations are supposed to protect nature. We will continue to hold and even increase the demonstrations."

We live here and will continue to update about developments. Stay with us.