On the western edge of Freetown lies Funkia Wharf, one of Sierra Leone's busiest fishing communities. Every morning, hundreds of wooden canoes return from the Atlantic, bringing with them the day's catch and the livelihoods of thousands of people.

As we walked through the crowded market towards the shoreline, we were met with suspicion. Cameras weren't welcomed. When I launched the drone, a group of locals surrounded us, convinced we were spies working for the Chinese.

It sounded unbelievable.

But their fears were rooted in something very real.

For years, industrial foreign trawlers have fished these waters, leaving many local fishermen struggling with increasingly smaller catches. Their frustration isn't directed at filmmakers or photographers, but at a changing world that has made life on the sea more uncertain than ever.

This short film captures a place full of energy, resilience and remarkable human endeavour, while offering a glimpse into the tensions that exist beneath the surface.

Filmed in Sierra Leone in 2019