The Fish that Disappeared

Abstract

Fifty years ago Lake Chad was one of the largest inland lakes of Africa. It was also extraordinarily well stocked with fish. Neither is the case anymore. Gudja and the other fishermen of the Gilam quarter of Blangua face great difficulties in surviving from fishing. But is it so, as claimed by some, that the reduced fish stocks of today can be explained by the lack of water? By joining Gudja and his fishing pals in their work out on the lake, and through encounters with traditional authorities and modern administration, the underlying causes of the fish scarcity are revealed.