"The life of a fisherman now is hard. You can work one day, then nothing for two days. You work a week, then nothing for 15 days."

 

 

 

The fishing industry here is hanging on, but now the town has a new breadwinner. Thousands of tourists visited Essaouira last year, giving hope and income to the region. Essaouira's first tourist boom was in the 1960s when music stars, like Jimi Hendrix, made it a Mecca for counterculture travelers. In recent years, the town has made a push to attract more tourists. It's working. Since 1996,tourism is up by more than 300%.

 

 

Recently its 18th century Medina or historic town centre was named to UNESCO's world heritage list. But there is a challenge to take advantage of an opportunity without selling out local people, culture and the environment. Developers say the conservation is the priority, but there are still questions about water, land use and pollution. These fishermen belong to Essaouira's past, but their town has a chance to make a new life for itself. The choices it makes now will determine its future