The European Union has issued a formal “yellow card” to Senegal on May 27th. This marks the first warning due to fishing practices deemed “illegal,” as the fishing agreement between the European Union and Senegal expires in November 2024. This action comes as a strong signal just weeks after the publication of the list of vessels authorized to fish in Senegalese waters by the new Ministry of Fisheries.
The European Union has identified Senegal as a “non-cooperative country” in the fight against illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing – known as IUU fishing, “following several years of shortcomings and lack of cooperation.” This warning serves as a call to initiate dialogue and allows the new authorities to propose solutions.
The risk is being issued a “red card,” which would result in the prohibition of exporting seafood products to the European Union. Fatou Niang, Vice President of the Grouping of Shipowners and Industrialists in Senegal (GAIPES), states, “The yellow card is an alert that confirms our suspicions about the new registrations of boats that had a history of IUU fishing and are now docking on our shores.”
The list of vessels authorized to operate in Senegalese waters was published in early May 2024 by the government. According to Adama Lam, also Vice President of GAIPES, this is a first step towards greater transparency: “The laws governing our country have been violated to issue licenses. This situation has created a crisis in the fishing sector,” he denounces. “Resources have been severely depleted by vessels that had no business in our country.”
Adama Lam calls for licenses of vessels not complying with laws to be revoked.