LOCAL small scale fishermen in Bagamoyo, Tanzania are complaining about huge foreign trawlers that have invaded their shallow water fishing grounds. Fishermen say district and regional authorities have failed to drive them away. Most of the foreign ships belong to Arabs, Greeks and Italians who threaten them when they meet at sea. Fisherman Yusuf Ndonde said that apart from engaging in illegal fishing including use of prohibited fishing nets, the alien fishing boats have also destroyed artisanal fishermen’s nets. “When we protest against the destruction of our property, these foreigners threaten us with arms and their trawlers,” Ndonde said. The illegal fishing currently undertaken by large scale foreign fishermen means the small scale fishermen have failed to get reasonable catches from the sea.