BAMAKO — Bourama Traoré and his brother, now aged 20 and 29, grew up along the banks of the Niger River. Their daily routine has always been simple: cast their nets and provide for their family. But now, the wait has grown long and the catch scarce. Six casts yields almost nothing; at best, a handful of small fish. Sometimes the nets come up empty — or filled with plastic waste. According to fishers in Bamako, the Malian capital, this situation is the direct result of human activities — in particular, gold panning by dredging, and plastic pollution — which are degrading the Niger River ecosystem and leading to lower yields for fishers. According to the Ministry of Fisheries, “Mali needs 300,000 metric tons of fish every year, whereas the country’s annual production is 130,000 metric tons.” The Niger River, which runs 4,200 kilometers (2,600 miles), including more than 1,600 km (1,000 mi) in Mali, is becoming increasingly polluted, especially in Bamako. The water is now muddy and littered with plastic bags. A report by Greenpeace estimates that each year, the Niger River carries 35,000 metric tons of plastic waste to the sea. “Every night, local residents take advantage of the darkness to dump their garbage in the river,” says Traoré, the young fisherman. “This irresponsible behavior is a serious problem, not only for us fishers but for the entire fishing industry.” Traoré highlights the toll that plastic waste is taking on his livelihood: “This situation threatens our only source…This article was originally published on Mongabay