Fishing Beirut
Fisherman Moustapha Itani holds a cage containing fish from the Mediterranean Sea near the Rock of Raouché's arch while fishing the Mediterranean Sea near Beirut, Lebanon on June 26, 2021. Fishermen use to get paid LL10,000 for each kilogram (2.2 pounds) of fish when the Lebanese Lira traded at LL1,500 per $1. Today, the Lira's value hit a record low, trading at least at LL18,000, yet the fishermen get paid LL25,000 per kilogram of fish. Their diminished wages make boat upkeep difficult so some fishers, unable to pay for repairs, send their boats to the junkyard. The fishermen also struggle to get gasoline during the country's fuel shortage, with gas station attendants telling the fishermen that fuel for a boat is a luxury, so they often refuse to sell gasoline to them.