The Euphrates no longer meets the Tigris in southern Iraq. Fishermen have abandoned their homes and boats in the marshes to sell RO water instead. Boat makers find no one left to buy their mashoof canoes. This is the harsh impact of climate change on inhabitants of the marshlands of Dhi Qar.

Naji Arhim, a fisherman, stepped off his boat after more than 25 years, leaving behind the fishing profession he had inherited from his ancestors. Harsh conditions brought on by climate change have forced him to seek a more stable source of income. 

At 65 years old, Naji carries the weight of a long life on his shoulders. His story began like many fishermen’s tales in southern Iraq but ends with forced migration from the Hammar Marshes to the district of Karma Bani Saeed in Dhi Qar. 

Three years have passed, yet they haven’t been enough to piece Naji’s life back together. He still fights with memories of the Hammar Marshes, the place of his 300-square-metre home, large enough for a loving family, filled with neighbours and friends, and a life he still sees as beautiful despite its simplicity. 

Now, Naji lives with his family of ten in a rented house no larger than 125 square metres. Its narrow concrete walls restrain their dreams, their movement, and dim the warmth of daily connection. The monthly rent is 250,000 dinars, approximately 100 U.S. Dollars, a burden that has added to the hardship of forced displacement. 

His life has changed drastically. No longer the energetic man who fished from sunrise, Naji recalled how life in the marshes once blessed him with abundance. Back then, his monthly expenses never exceeded 300,000 dinars, around 250 U.S. Dollars. Now, that amount is nowhere near enough. His family’s needs have doubled, reaching up to one million dinars, around 950 U.S. Dollars per month. 

Naji struggles with the harshness of city life. He misses the open air of the marshes, the sounds of the birds, and the scent of fresh water. He described his new job as “neither his passion nor the work he loved for years,” but insisted that it’s necessary because “putting food on the table for his family comes first”. 

Naji’s life in the marshes was never his alone. Some of his sons would accompany him on fishing trips, while others hunted wild birds. They were part of a community that had lived off the land for generations, shaped in harmony with nature and the ecosystems that once supported ancient civilisations. But today, that way of life is on the verge of extinction. 

Now, Naji manages a wholesale fish market in the district of Karma Bani Saeed. Despite his current role, he has remained closely involved with the lives of local fishermen. As the head of the Marshlands Fishermen’s Association, he regularly checks in on them to understand the devastating impact the drought has had. 

Naji is not alone in facing these challenges. Many of his fellow fishermen were also forced to abandon their craft and look for other means of making a living. 

His sons have taken up various jobs, selling vegetables, delivering purified RO water, a type of purified water using reverse osmosis, or doing odd freelance work. They earn a modest daily income of between 20,000 to 30,000 dinars, around 15 to 25 U.S. dollars, sometimes slightly more. 

He yearns for his first house 

In the district of Karma Bani Saeed, Abu Talib, an elderly fisherman, carries in his memory the stories of seventy-four years, woven by time to the rhythm of a wooden oar dancing across the water’s surface. 

Abu Talib left his stronghold, Al-Chibayish, four years ago, abandoning the marshes that had long been his source of livelihood and life. He sought refuge in Karma Bani Saeed, but the departure was anything but easy. Behind him, he left unforgettable memories, abundant fish, and a breathtaking landscape that once nourished both his soul and body during a golden era. This was before drought devoured it all. 

With every sunrise, he wakes to the echoes of the past. He remembers those beautiful days in the marshes, when he would row his mashhoof  boat with strength and pride, undeterred by the cold of winter or the heat of summer. His body, once strong and resilient, was sustained by fresh fish, waterfowl, and natural vegetation. That simple life, once so full, has since faded into stories, tales of patience and perseverance that Abu Talib now shares with his family. Though he is not content with his current life, circumstances forced him to leave his homeland. 

Today, Abu Talib relies on his modest retirement pension of 800,000 Iraqi dinars, approximately 550 U.S. dollars, with which he supports his family of five children. They live in a rented house of 150 square metres, half the size of their home in Al-Chibayish, for which they pay 300,000 dinars, around 200 U.S. Dollars, per month. Life grows narrower when one is forced to leave the marshes. 

Abu Talib told Jummar that back in the marshes, they relied on several methods of trade and income alongside their fellow water-dwellers, often bartering fish for dates, birds, or buffalo milk. This type of economic exchange, he noted, was also common in the days of the Sumerians. 

The stories of Naji, Abu Talib, and other fishermen show how deeply drought has affected life in the Iraqi marshes. It has forced many to abandon their professions, leave their homes, and seek work elsewhere. 

This situation is a major concern for local communities in the marshes, as it threatens their cohesion and erodes their cultural identity. 

Hashim Muheibis, Director of Water Resources in Dhi Qar, told Jummar that in previous years, water levels helped flood over 5,000 square kilometres of marshland, just 25% of the total area. In the past decade, the marshes have lost nearly three-quarters of their water. 

The marshes depend heavily on the Euphrates River. However, the Tigris also plays a significant role by supplying water through a control gate located between Al-Chibayish and Al-Madina in northern Basra. It is from there that Tigris water is diverted into the marshes. 

They will never meet again 

According to the Director of Watea, a “flood spillway” was built in 2011 to allow water to flow in the event of high floods, enabling water to pass from the Tigris to the Euphrates, or vice versa, depending on the resources. It is 850 metres long and 4 metres high. Initially constructed as an earthen embankment, it included a flood spillway that allowed water to flow in the event of high floods, enabling water to pass from the Tigris to the Euphrates, or vice versa, depending on the river levels. However, due to the continuous rise in the Tigris River’s levels, the barrier was later upgraded with 14 pipe regulators, which together discharge up to 50 cubic metres of water per second. 

The Euphrates River flows through Dhi Qar Governorate, originating from Samawah and passing through Al-Chibayish, before meeting the Tigris River in the district of Al-Madina, located north of Basra. But as the water levels of the Euphrates dropped, construction of the water barrier was expedited to prioritise feeding the marshes. Since the barrier was built, the Euphrates has been cut off from the Tigris, ending their natural convergence in Basra that once formed the Shatt al-Arab. Its diminished flow no longer allows it to reach Basra. 

Hussein Al-Ziyadi, a geography professor at the University of Dhi Qar, noted that the peak flooding of the marshes occurred in 2019, reaching over 4,478 square kilometres over a year of heavy rainfall. However, this was short-lived. By 2021, due to reduced water releases, the flooded area dropped to 1,490 square kilometres. In 2022, drought conditions worsened. By 2023, a year he describes as one of the worst in Iraq’s hydrological history, the marshes had shrunk to less than 600 square kilometres, with water reserves severely depleted. 

The spread of drought has intensified environmental displacement and led to the phenomenon known as “urban ruralisation” as people move from rural communities with established customs and traditions into urban environments that differ completely. All of this, he explained, was a direct consequence of climate change. 

According to the latest data from the Department of Migration and Displacement, Dhi Qar Governorate recorded the displacement of 7,000 families due to climate change between 2019 and 2023. This number reflected the total number of fully verified cases. Additionally, the files of 2,000 families are still under review to determine whether those families remain displaced or have returned to their original areas. “This means the total number could very likely reach 9,000 families.” Each family is estimated to have an average of 5 to 6 members. 

Haider Saadi, head of the Government Committee on Climate Change in Dhi Qar, told Jummar that displacement has had a major impact on key livelihoods in marshland and rural areas, particularly fishing and livestock herding. He warned that the real danger lay in the shift in professions, as a large segment of the population, once producers, have now become consumers. This not only undermines economic self-sufficiency but also contributes to security risks and increased pressure on urban centres. 

Forced Displacement 

Haider Saadi noted that around 300 fishermen and buffalo herders, registered with the Ministry of Agriculture, have left their professions and migrated to urban centres. Additionally, 168 individuals have relocated to other provinces. Those who changed their occupations have not reported on their new jobs. The impact goes beyond employment. The school dropout rate among children has increased. Many displaced families have settled in underserved areas and now require additional financial support for basic services and livelihoods. 

Naji Arhim, head of the Fishermen’s Association in the governorate, told Jummar about the intense struggles that fishermen are facing. Out of 3,000 registered fishermen in his association, around 1,000 have abandoned their profession. They either migrate to towns in the Middle Euphrates region in search of new fishing opportunities or quit entirely due to the harsh conditions. 

Naji added, “The majority of registered fishermen are not registered with the Department of Fishery Development at the Agricultural Directorate, due to the lack of sufficient support to develop their profession or assist them. As a result, they have chosen not to engage with the official government body.” 

In a report on displacement, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) stated that environmental degradation has had a huge impact on life in Iraq. The water crisis and ongoing drought have caused displacement in 12 Iraqi provinces. The report, which covers the period from June 2018 to September 2023, indicated that approximately 22,000 families were displaced. Dhi Qar recorded the highest number, with 7,890 families displaced, an average of four families per day, followed by Maysan with 4,420 families, and Najaf with 3,234 families. 

Meanwhile, the Central Bureau of Statistics, affiliated with the Ministry of Planning, reported that Iraq produced approximately 123,000 tonnes of river fish in 2021. However, this figure dropped by 58 per cent in 2022, revealing the impact of water shortages on the fishing sector. 

Hatem Al-Jubouri, Deputy Director General of Animal Resources at the Ministry of Agriculture, told Jummar that the ministry is working on introducing modern systems to conserve water in the marshes and surrounding wetlands. 

These systems rely on closed water circulation methods or controlled irrigation channels, and they are expected to help resettle local communities of fishermen and herders. He added that the Ministries of Agriculture and Water Resources have agreed on a five-year timeline to implement these systems. 

Al-Jubouri also noted that fishery resources represent a key component of Iraq’s economy. In the 2024 season, the ministry released 240 million fish fry, 8 million fingerlings, and sold 300,000 fingerlings to breeders. 
“These quantities contribute to boosting national fish production,” he said, adding that in 2023, Iraq produced 39,000 tonnes of fish, and 12,284 fishing licenses were issued. The Ministry of Agriculture’s strategic plans signal a promising future for this sector, he said. 

Salah Al-Mousawi, Director of the South Centre for Studies, pointed out that the inconsistencies in displacement figures reported by government agencies and international organisations suggest that there is still no accurate census regarding the number of people displaced due to climate change. 

Security and food 

Manar Majid, a lecturer at the University of Dhi Qar specialising in environmental geography, believes one of the critical effects of climate change is its impact on social stability and community security. It forces people to abandon jobs and skills they’ve relied on for years, like fishing or buffalo herding, and pushes them into unfamiliar or unrelated work. Many residents of the marshes, villages, and rural areas lack access to social welfare programs or retirement pensions, which drives them to seek out alternative means of survival. Sometimes in ways that are unauthorised or illegal. For the unemployed, any work becomes an escape from the harsh reality they live in. 

Majid added that this displacement leads to food insecurity, due to growing gaps in agricultural production. This stems from the decline in arable land because of low water levels, leading to increased soil salinity and decreased agricultural productivity. 

Dhi Qar lost one of its most vital natural resources and economic systems: the marshland fishery. In its heyday, Al-Chibayish District alone exported 90 to 100 tonnes of fish daily when water was plentiful. Today, that number has dropped to zero. Likewise, the cultivable farmland across the governorate used to cover around 500,000 dunams. Now, it doesn’t exceed 200,000 dunams. To meet its agricultural and drinking water needs and to be self-sufficient in producing wheat for flour, Dhi Qar requires 122 cubic metres per second from the Tigris River. Current levels fall far short of these required amounts. 

According to an unpublished survey conducted by Manar Majid, the number of individuals displaced by desertification in northern Nasiriyah’s Al-Nasr District has reached 2,915. In Al-Batha District, west of Nasiriyah, 1,531 families have been displaced. Al-Chibayish follows with 1,442 displaced families, with additional displacement recorded across other districts and subdistricts. 

Amid this painful reality in the marshes of Dhi Qar, Salam Kantar, 39 years old, a traditional boatbuilder, bears a heavy burden. Like the fishermen, he too faces this shared fate. In the past, he used to build an average of five mashoof boats a month for the residents of Al-Chibayish to navigate the marshes. But those days have long gone by. With the retreat of the marshes, demand for his boats plummeted. People no longer need new boats as they once did. His sales have dropped sharply. He now sells just two or three boats a month, and he has no alternative profession. Nor can he leave Al-Chibayish in search of other opportunities, held back by fear of the unknown. But he is still trying to resist. 

• This article is part of a special series by Jummar on fish and fisheries in Iraq.