The fishing agreement between the European Union and Senegal, in place since 2019, will officially end at midnight on Sunday after the Senegalese government failed to take action against illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing in its waters.
Jean-Marc Pisani, the EU ambassador for West Africa, confirmed the decision, stating that the accord would not be renewed for the time being. He explained that despite earlier warnings, Senegal had not addressed the ‘serious shortcomings’ identified by the European Commission, particularly concerning Senegalese-flagged vessels operating in extraterritorial waters and foreign ships docking at the port of Dakar.
As a result of the expiry, European vessels, predominantly from Spain, will be banned from fishing in Senegal’s exclusive economic zone starting at midnight on November 17. This cessation will have an immediate effect on 18 vessels primarily engaged in catching tropical tuna and hake, but Pisani downplayed the potential disruption to Senegal’s local fishing industry. He stressed that European boats had caught far below their authorised quota, bringing in only 10,000 tonnes of fish over five years.
In addition to halting fishing, Senegal will no longer receive financial contributions under the agreement. Since its initiation, the EU has provided Senegal with a total of €8.5 million (CFA5.5bn), which has supported various aspects of the country’s fisheries sector. However, local fishermen have long criticised the presence of foreign vessels, claiming they deplete local fish stocks and threaten their livelihoods.
Fishing is a vital sector in Senegal, providing direct or indirect employment for approximately 600,000 people. Senegalese fishermen, mainly operating traditional wooden boats known as pirogues, have long accused foreign industrial trawlers of overfishing and causing a significant decline in local fish populations. The issue became even more contentious following the election of President Bassirou Diomaye Faye in March, who pledged to regain control over Senegal’s fishing rights and ensure greater protection for local fishermen.
Despite these tensions, the EU insists that its fishing operations had minimal impact on Senegal’s fishing industry, pointing out that EU boats had largely underutilised their allowed quota. The disagreement highlights the growing dissatisfaction with foreign involvement in Senegal’s fisheries, which has been a central issue in the country’s politics.
This is not the first time that Senegal and the EU have suspended their fishing agreement. A similar disruption occurred between 2006 and 2014, when the agreement was halted for both parties to assess and renegotiate its terms. The renewed deal in 2019 was initially seen as a positive step for cooperation, but the continued concerns over IUU fishing and its economic impacts on local communities have led to this latest breakdown.
The suspension of the agreement leaves Senegal with a difficult decision on how to balance its fishing industry’s sustainability with the interests of foreign partners. While the EU vessels are expected to look for other waters to fish in, Senegal will need to strengthen its monitoring and enforcement systems to prevent illegal fishing from other sources. The ongoing debate between national sovereignty over fishing rights and the benefits of international partnerships is likely to continue as the country moves forward.
The end of the EU-Senegal fishing deal marks a significant moment in the debate over foreign exploitation of West African waters. As both sides navigate their future relationship, the outcome will have lasting implications for Senegal’s economy and the livelihoods of its fishermen.
Credit: Africabriefing
