The European Commission’s “yellow card” warning to Senegalese authorities that the West African country risks being listed as a non-cooperating third country in the fight against illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, has been welcomed by the Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF).
The NGO has been actively supporting participatory monitoring in Senegal for the past three years and has noted recent positive fisheries reform in the country.
In issuing the yellow card, the Commission highlighted “serious shortcomings identified in recent years in the system put in place by the country to comply with its international obligations”.
In particular, EJF is focused on the fight against the encroachment of industrial trawlers into areas reserved for artisanal fishermen, as well as the suspicious use of the port of Dakar by distant-water fishing vessels potentially involved in IUU fishing activities. The organisation also insists on the need to remove the opacity surrounding the Senegalese fisheries sector, particularly with regard to foreign-owned Senegalese trawlers.
EJF CEO and Founder Steve Trent said recent presidential elections in March 2024 have brought a new political dynamic to Senegal.
“The new generation of leaders did not cause the crisis in Senegal’s fisheries, but they can end it. The clear commitments made during the election campaign, such as promoting transparency, reviewing which vessels can fish under the Senegalese flag, assessing the conditions of access to Senegalese waters, protecting small-scale fisheries and strengthening national fisheries management systems and the fight against IUU fishing, were a strong start,” he said.
“Since taking office, the new government has made swift progress, in particular the publication of licence lists and the prospect of revising the Maritime Fisheries Code. The European Commission’s decision provides an opportunity to build on this momentum and promote good governance in such a vital sector for Senegal’s people and economy.”
EJF is strongly recommending enshrining the Global Charter for Fisheries Transparency into national law and the application of the principles of the Fisheries Transparency Initiative. It says these measures will help to achieve the goals set by the new political leadership and deliver a safe, sustainable ocean.
Additionally, fitting the vision of His Excellency the President of the Republic, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, EJF said it is determined and committed to working with Senegalese authorities to achieve sustainable and transparent management of the country’s fisheries resources.
The Commission issued its warning under EU Regulation 1005/2008, which aims to “prevent, deter and eliminate illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing”, and includes the so-called “carding system”.
