Every low tide reminds Mehran Shah of the ruthless exploitation of the environment: then the roots of dead mangroves protrude from the beach like flu - plastic waste is stuck in between.

Mehran is the chairman of the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF) in the south of the megacity of Karachi. This partner organization of terre des hommes fights for the rights of local fishermen and against environmental exploitation: against trawlers that decimate the fish populations of the Arabian Sea, ruthlessly and often illegally; against trawling nets that plow up the seabed and destroy entire ecosystems.

Mehran began volunteering with the PFF at the age of 15. For many children, its youth organization is a central point of contact. The PFF supports them with educational, cultural, and sporting activities – but above all, it provides them with the right platform to take action against the destruction of their natural environment. They organize informational and protest events, launch bicycle rallies, collect trash, and plant trees. And they show tourists and decision-makers the consequences of environmental destruction.

Overfishing is far from the only threat. A visit to the beach is enough to see that. When the sea recedes, it reveals fields of plastic debris: trash in which marine animals become entangled or which they ingest. Many perish as a result. And then there are the dead, white roots in the sand: remnants of the mangroves that grow along large stretches of the coast. These trees are vital, especially for young fish, because their dense roots offer protection from predators. 

Actually, far too many mangroves are being cut down. By criminal gangs, but also by impoverished people. More than ten million Pakistanis live in extreme poverty. When heating costs rise, for example, some see no other option than to use mangrove wood as fuel.