Fishermen perch precariously on wooden scaffolds stretching over turbulent rapids in northeastern Democratic Republic Congo, hauling up wicker baskets in the hope of catching tilapia or a Nile perch -– a time-honoured practice now threatened by overfishing. Basket fishing was once the lifeblood of the Wagenya community, feeding them handsomely on a section of the mighty Congo River close to Kisangani, a city in Tshopo province. But fish numbers have dwindled in recent years, and the fishermen see little help from the government. Now, locals are hoping for better infrastructure and a new hotel to allow tourists to visit and help enrich the area. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES