16d ago
⌁ DAY 24

Congo River fishermen harvest plastic as fish catches decline

Congo RiverKinshasaDemocratic Republic of Congo2026-09-13

As fish populations dwindle in the Congo River near Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, fishermen have begun collecting plastic waste as an alternative income source, sometimes earning more from plastic than from traditional fish catches. The shift reflects both ecological decline and economic adaptation.

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As catches dwindle, Congo River fishermen turn to plastic waste

rss:rfi-eninternational16d ago wire ×2 kagi ↗

On the Congo River, plastic is becoming the catch of the day. Some fishermen around Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, can now make more money pulling plastic from the water than catching fish, as declining catches and growing waste pollution threaten an artisanal way of life.