European vessels will stop fishing in Senegal after the non-renewal of an agreement

European-flagged boats will stop fishing in Senegalese waters from the afternoon of Sunday, November 17, following the non-renewal of an agreement between Brussels and Dakar, the ambassador of the European Union (EU) announced on Tuesday, November 12. , Jean-Marc Pisani. The agreement in force since 2019 and which expires on Sunday at midnight is not renewed at the moment due to “failures” notified on May 27 by the European Commission to the State of Senegal in the fight against illegal fishing, the diplomat told reporters in Dakar.

“European vessels will stop fishing in Senegal’s exclusive economic zone from midnight on November 17. These European boats will be able – it will be the shipowners’ choice – to continue fishing in other places.”he clarified, citing the existence of agreements between the EU and Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania or Cape Verde. “It would not be coherent for the European Union, which has a policy of zero tolerance towards IUU fishing.” [illicite, non déclarée et non réglementée], “renew an agreement with countries that have been notified of this type of difficulties”he added.

The cessation of fishing in Senegalese waters will affect 18 Spanish and French vessels that fish for tropical tuna and hake and do not represent real competition for Senegalese fishing, explained Jean-Marc Pisani.

In May, the European Commission sent what it presented as a “yellow card” in Senegal, identified as “non-cooperative country” regarding illegal fishing. she deplored “serious deficiencies” and “Failures in monitoring, control and surveillance systems” for ships flying the Senegalese flag in extraterritorial waters, as well as for foreign ships in the port of Dakar. she reported “Illegal exports from Senegal to the EU” and said to leave Dakar the possibility of “react and remedy the situation within a reasonable period of time”.

A sector in crisis

Fishing is a vital sector in Senegal, economically but also culturally. It is also a sector in crisis. Coastal towns contribute an important part of the hundreds of illegal immigrants who try to reach Europe across the Atlantic every month, risking their lives, aboard overloaded and dilapidated canoes.

Fishing directly or indirectly supports some 600,000 Senegalese for a population of around 18 million, according to a commonly accepted figure. The approximately 50,000 Senegalese fishermen, who work mainly in traditional canoes, constantly denounce competition from foreign-controlled factory boats, which they blame for the shortage of fish.

The controversy over the involvement of foreign fishing in the crisis was reignited with the election as president in March of Bassirou Diomaye Faye, who promised to restore the sovereignty he considers sold in this and other sectors. Their prime minister, Ousmane Sonko, campaigning for the legislative elections, attacked again, on Monday afternoon, in the coastal town of Bargny, these “foreign ships [qui] come loot everything [leur]s resources »reported the news site Dakaractu.

The European ambassador recalled that, according to the existing agreement, European ships were only authorized to draw on surplus stocks. While the agreement allowed 10,000 tonnes to be caught each year, European vessels only caught 10,000 tonnes in five years, he said. The agreement meant for the Senegalese State a contribution of 8.5 million euros over five years, to which are added the duties paid by the shipowners, the EU states in a press release, specifying that “Senegal will no longer receive any financial contribution under the fisheries agreement”.

The diplomats explained, on condition of anonymity, that the deficiencies have been identified and have given rise to regular dialogue for several years and that the termination of the agreement is not linked to the internal Senegalese situation. Conclude a possible new agreement “It cannot be done overnight, there will be a certain number of actions that will have to be implemented and that will reasonably take several months”said Jean-Marc Pisani.