Private Story
Indigenous lobster divers
In the rural villages on the Caribbean coast of Nicaragua, the number of single mothers is growing. The communities rely on fishing for income, and one of the best opportunities is artisanal lobster-diving. The biggest export market is the US, with a growing demand for the delicacy in high-end hotels.
Many of the indigenous Miskito men who take on this grueling work to provide for their families are exposed to decompression sickness. With no professional equipment, they free-dive as deep as 100-120 feet. With the lobster population in decline, the divers must go deeper and deeper every year to find their catch.
An estimated $20 million of lobster are exported to the US every year. For the young men, this high-risk job is often the only opportunity to provide their families. But how many die or become disabled?
With this photo essay I want to document the lives of the divers, their families and the villages. How are families and the community affected? What is the impact of the fishing economy on the environment? How do the women provide for the children if the men die? And, are there any alternatives?
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