CFFA supports CAOPA and APRAPAM's request for a concerted approach on the management of shared stocks such as small pelagics and hake
Read moreSenegal Faces Russian Pressures For Access To Fish: Vigilance Is Required
Since 2010, Senegal is under pressure from Russian pelagic trawlers to access Senegal small pelagic fish. These trawlers are allowed to fish in the Morocco, Mauritania and Guinea Bissau but not in Senegal’s EEZ.
Confronted with the reluctance of the Senegalese authorities to negotiate a fisheries agreement with the Russian Federation, Russian shipowners have found the alternative: use a local co-signatory, and sign private protocols with the Ministry granting them fishing rights.
These protocols between Senegal and foreign private companies do not conform to the legislation in force in Senegal, which States that foreign flagged fishing vessels are allowed to operate in the waters under Senegalese jurisdiction either under a fisheries agreement linking Senegal to the flag State, or the organization that represents this State, or when they are chartered by people of Senegalese nationality.
In other words, the law does not authorize the signature of protocols between Senegal and private companies, as was done with Russian trawlers. In addition, none of these protocols has been ratified by the National Assembly and promulgated by the President of the Republic, let alone published in the Official Journal of the Republic of Senegal.
Illegally, the Minister of Maritime economy in function in 2010 therefore granted abusive benefits to Russian pelagic trawlers, including: the non-obligation to embark Senegalese crew, the non-payment of fees dues in respect of the fishing licenses allocated. The shortfall for the State in this regard, for 29 trawlers involved, was almost 9 million CFA francs on basis of annual licenses.
In addition, at a time when the fight against IUU fishing is a priority for many, some of these vessels arrested for fishing in a prohibited area or for having disguised their markings in order not to be identifiable, saw their fines cancelled by the Minister, although the infractions they committed were most serious.
That was the situation prevailing when the new president of the Republic, Mr Macky Sall, was elected, on 25 March 2012. In line with a commitment made during his electoral campaign, he cancelled all licenses issued on an illegal basis to foreign pelagic trawlers.
But the new Minister in charge of fisheries himself never expressed the wish to put an end to the activities of Russian trawlers in Senegalese waters. Already, end April 2012, he stated that fishing authorisations would continue to be given but taking into account the resources and the interests of the State: ' with experts, we will study the number of fishing authorisations to be granted’.
The issue also invited itself at the Council of Ministers’ table in December 2012, during which the President of the Republic 'decided to extend the biological rest for our maritime spaces, by freezing the granting of fishing licenses to foreign vessels, for a period of at least one year’.
In June 2013, at the end of an inter-Ministerial Council on fisheries, the following recommendation was adopted: ‘To maintain the discontinuation of licensing pelagic trawlers until an evaluation of this operation is conducted. In particular, this assessment should identify the impacts of these operations on the biological state of resources and on the budget, as well as on the social climate in the fisheries sector'.
The question arises: is an illegal operation something ‘to assess’ in this way?
Currently, the small pelagic fishing season is beginning. To lift the obstacles for obtaining licenses, the representative of the Federal Russian Agency for Fisheries in Senegal, recalled on a local television program that Russia ‘was waiting for the results of the evaluation announced at the occasion of the Inter-ministerial Council on Fisheries held in June 2013'.
Another question arises: for shared resources like small pelagic, what is the pertinence of an evaluation made on Senegal alone, when scientific assessments concerning the entire stocks of these shared resources are available through the FAO/CECAF working group, which since more than 12 years is following the development of the small pelagic resources at the regional level?
We must remain vigilant and hope that the new Minister appointed last September will take into account the recommendations of this FAO/CECAF working group, composed of the most eminent fisheries biologists from the coastal countries and the countries that fish along the northwest coast of Africa. This working group is constantly reminding, over the last years, that coastal pelagic resources are overexploited and recommends that fishing effort should be reduced by at least 50%.
There is no 'surplus', which can be given and the Russians must be gently but firmly invited to go fish elsewhere.
Dr. Sogui DIOUF
Veterinary
Senegal: results from the workshop on the national authorization for the export of fisheries products to the EU
The Association for the promotion of actors of small scale fisheries of Mbour (APRAPAM), in the framework of its mission, regularly organizes information, awareness and education sessions. On December the 18th 2012, in partnership with the Directorate of industries and processing of fisheries (DITP) and the network of journalists of Mbour for fisheries and environment (RJMPE), APRAPAM organized a workshop Senegal’s national authorization for the export of fisheries products in the EU.
Exports to EU market are subjected to an agreement. The agreement, obtained by Senegal in May 1996, 2nd West and Northern African country endowed with one after Morocco, is subjected to 3 years evaluations by the Food and Veterinary Office (FVO) of the EU (1999, 2004, 2007, 2010). The delivery of the export authorization to the EU is based on the principle of equivalence of inspection systems and of sanitary control of fisheries products. It relies on authority transfer in terms of certification and authorization delivered by the EU to the Senegalese competent authority (DITP), which allows local industrial units authorized by the Authority to export their certified production on European markets.
Senegal’s authorization is the result of an improvement process of hygiene and sanitary conditions of fisheries products aimed at human consumption, mainly in the small scale fisheries sub sector. Many elements helped to obtain this result (appropriate facilities, competent monitoring and control services, education of agents, regulation, etc.).
The goal of this meeting was to think over the conditions favoring the improvement of the conditions and means of sustainability of these laurels. Challenges relate to governance of the sector and sustainable management of the resource, fish trade globalization, traceability of products and IUU fishing.
Adopted recommendations highlight, for the Senegalese part, for example participatory surveillance, involvement of industrials in the whole control process and the automatic registration of pirogues and for the EU part, she should support more developing countries to invest in a proper manner in monitoring, control and surveillance mechanisms and traceability. She should also insist on developing countries on the necessity to share data on vessels authorized to fish in their waters. At last, fisheries local sector should be more involved in order to have a smoother implementation of the IUU regulation.
This local event brought together about sixty participants, public and private actors and civil society from Mbour, one of the fisheries production centers of Senegal. Adopted conclusions are applicable for all Senegal. What is interesting is that they integrated in matters linked to authorization, not only sanitary aspects (conservation means on board, etc.), monitoring control and surveillance means of fisheries (traceability, control operations, etc.) but also questions linked to IUU fishing ((registration of pirogues, illegal licenses, etc.)
For more information, see the following link (in French):http://www.aprapam.org/2012/12/15/j... And the full report of the meeting (in French) : http://www.aprapam.org/wp-content/u...
Attempt to reintroduce foreign pelagic trawlers in Senegalese waters - can the Council of Ministers authorise what is not legal?
Extracts from the contribution of Dr Sogui Diouf, Veterinary, published on the APRAPAM website
The allocation of fishing licenses to foreign pelagic trawlers made the news in the last weeks: Senegalese were surprised to read the 13 December Council of Ministers press release, which read: ‘The Minister of Fisheries and Maritime Affairs discussed the issue relating to the granting of fishing licenses to foreign vessels’. The decision of the President of Senegal was to ‘extend the biological rest, and to freeze the granting of fishing licenses to foreign owners for a period of at least one year’.
Things need to be clarified: a fishing license is the document that industrial fishing vessel must have to be allowed to carry out fishing activities, while the biological rest is a fisheries management measure whose objective is to reduce fishing pressure and which, combined with other measures, can contribute positively to recovery of overexploited resources and support the sustainable exploitation of fisheries resources. The foreign vessels referred to in this press release are the pelagic freezer trawlers flying the flag of Russia, Lithuania and flags of convenience. These boats, commonly called the "Russian vessels" were illegally authorized by the former Minister, between 2010 and 2012, to fish in Senegalese waters. The decision of the President means therefore that he wants the freezing of the licensing of these vessels for at least one year.
What does Senegalese Law say? The Senegalese law (98-32 of 14 April 1998) states in Article 16: ‘fishing vessels flying foreign flags are allowed to operate in waters under Senegalese jurisdiction, either under a fisheries agreement between Senegal and the flag State or organization that represents the flag state state, or when chartered by natural or legal persons of Senegalese nationality’. Decree 98-498, article 23 further states that: "chartering foreign fishing vessels by legal persons of Senegalese nationality may be allowed only in exceptional cases, by the Minister of Marine Fisheries, to face supply difficulties of local processing industries." Pelagic freezer trawlers are not part of the list of chartered boats that are allowed.
The argument of the former Minister for issuing illegal fishing licences to the Russian vessels was that ‘Some shared resources in the high seas, essentially sardines and mackerel, are insufficiently exploited by our national fleet (industrial and artisanal). The result is a loss for our country. Senegal has therefore sovereignly decided to exploit those resources for public benefit, like other countries in the subregion.
Such arguments don’t hold water: first of all, sovereignty cannot be exercised illegally. Currently, there is no law or regulation in force that allows such fishing operation to happen. It will remain so,unless the legislation was to be changed.
Secondly, the sustainability of such operations targetting small pelagics is questionable:
◦ The CECAF/FAO Working Group assessment of small pelagic off North-West Africa, composed of experts from 14 countries, concluded at its last session held in May 2011 in Casablanca, that "the sardinella stock is currently overfished and such overfishing presents a serious risk to the continuity of industrial but also artisanal fleets activities";
◦ A lack of fish estimated at 3 million tonnes could also occur at the level of our sub-region by 2015 if such resources were to diminish drastically because of over exploitation (source Mariama Barry, CRODT);
◦ The ‘Russian’ trawlers are factory vessels of 100 to 120 meters in length and with tonnage between 3142 and 7765 GRT. Catches are either frozen on board, processed for human consumption, or transformed into fish oil and fish meal. The pelagic trawl gear they use is devastating, as they pick up everything in their path, pelagic fish as well as groundfish;
Changing the law, or signing a fisheries agreement with the flag states involved are the two possibilities for licensing such vessels – neither should be considered, given the state of overfishing of our resources and the poor fishing practices of these trawlers. Senegal has, by contrast with other countries of the region like Mauritania and Morocco, with which they share the small pelagic resources, a very active artisanal fleet targetting these stocks, which is responsible for 85% of the landings in the country. 80% of animal protein consumed by the 13 million Senegalese comes from fish, with a consumption of 26 kg / person / year. It provides 17% of direct and indirect jobs: 54,000 artisanal fishermen using 18,000 canoes. Finally, it represents 12.7% of export earnings.
Questions ◦ Was it appropriate for the Ministry to submit to the Cabinet a proposal for the licensing of ‘Russian ships’, since the legislation does not allow it?
◦ Cancelling these licenses in April, to propose to issue new ones in December seems a bit messy – how does that stand with the good governance promoted by the government?
◦ If it was so important to licence these Russian ships, why not explore the legal possibilities that exist: a fisheries agreement or a amendment to the law, to be transmitted to the National Assembly for adoption?
Is not it time to finally close this painful episode which raises so much passion? One much more pressing issue is to find sustainable fishing possibilities for our fishermen from Saint Louis, as it is not safe to rely only on licenses provided by the fisheries agreement with Mauritania. Should this not concern us more than trying to licence Russian pelagic trawlers?
The full text is available in French, from the contribution of Dr Diouf ‘Tentative avortée de réintroduction de chalutiers pélagiques étrangers dans les eaux sénégalaises : le Conseil des Ministres peut-il autoriser ce que la Loi en vigueur ne permet pas’ on : http://www.aprapam.org/2012/12/20/t...
Future common fisheries policy in Africa: outlook from CAOPA
CAOPA answered a questionnaire on an assessment of the fishery sector in the ECOWAS region, proposed by AU regarding the process of a definition of a common fisheries policy, the subject of which being “Contribution of the African confederation of artisanal fishing organizations”, on the 24th of August 2012. The following questionnaire identifies the main strategic issues for capture fisheries and aquaculture in the region and the main challenges and opportunities for these sectors, such as maintaining coastal communities livelihoods, food security and concerted management of the coastal area/fisheries co-management. The lack of transparency in policies is a key issue, since it threatens the exploitation of resources. Indeed, “transparency in this regard must become the rule and must be the basis for an informed participation of the stakeholders, in particular artisanal fishing communities. Greater transparency is also an important tool in the fight against IUU fishing, which is thriving when the opacity and corruption reign”. Besides, an analysis on the current human and institutional capacities in the region is proposed. The strengths and weaknesses, challenges and opportunities for the sectors, namely marine fisheries, inland fisheries and aquaculture in the region are highlighted: “Strategies and policies should also be developed to enable artisanal fisheries, which currently target mainly coastal resources, often overfished, to develop offshore artisanal fisheries, for example for tuna species, so that our countries can derive more benefits from offshore fisheries”. An examination of the level of the existing cooperation between the regional economic communities and regional fisheries organizations in the region is provided and some propositions to strengthen cooperation and collaboration are made. Moreover, “Artisanal fisheries professionals must be recognized as primary stakeholder by decision makers”. The role of civil society and media is also stressed to be important in the management process. The fact that there are weaknesses in the implementation of the Code of conduct of the FAO for responsible fishing and other relevant documents in the region or the country is also emphasized. At last, some cross border issues in the management of fisheries and the environment in the region are indicated.
Senegal: Government cancels 29 fishing authorisations for foreign trawlers targetting small pelagics
The Senegalese government just cancelled 29 fishing authorisations that were allocated to foreign trawlers targetting small pelagics. The vessels concerned had to leave Senegal’s EEZ by 30 April 2012.
The cancelled authorisations were allocated to ’foreign trawlers chartered by two Senegalese and one Moroccan boatowners. ’What has been cancelled represent the total of the authorisations allocated by Senegal’ explained to the press agency APS a technical advisor from the Fisheries and Maritime Affairs Ministry.
In a release, the Ministry explained that it cancelled these authorisations ’after having gathered all the elements enabling them to appreciate the issue relating to protocols autorising foreign vessels to exploit migratory pelagic resources in waters under Senegalese jurisdiction’.... ’We have witnessed a strong mobilisation of the professionals from the sector so that these contracts, which do not respect the norms established to preserve our resources, are cancelled as soon as possible’
The new Président, Macky Sall, had already stated, in a speech delivered on 3d April, that he was ’determined the review the access conditions for fishing licences’ and to ’firmly fight against vessels pillaging our resources’. Source
VIEW ONLINE:
Industrial fisheries destroy livelihood of northern and southern fishermen
At the fisheries conference of northern German states in Kiel last week, the development associations Protestant Development Service (EED) and Fair Oceans demanded from German ministers to press the EU to ensure sustainable fishing of European fishermen outside of European waters. “It is not acceptable that the recent proposals for a European fisheries reform lack solutions for the improvement of the situation for local fishermen,” says Andrea Müller-Frank from EED.
“More and more foreign trawlers are active in Senegalese waters. Licenses are attributed without consideration for environmental and social consequences. Many industrial trawlers illegally enter the zones reserved for small fisheries. This is how we small fishermen are deprived of our livelihood,” says Gaoussou Gueyse, secretary general of the West African Fisheries Federation. “Future EU fisheries agreements have to promote the development of our fisheries sector and not only deplete our fish stocks,” adds Gueye.
Since nowadays more than half of all European fisheries imports come from developing countries, Germany’s responsibility for the fisheries sector in target countries is growing. “The ministries assembled in Kiel have to push for an EU fisheries reform that reduces European dependency on imports and reestablishes fish stocks in the North Sea and Baltic Sea in an environmentally sustainable way,” says Fair Oceans’ Kai Kaschinski. Source: www.eed.de
The allocation of controversial licences put at risk Senegal’s approval to export to EU market
An EU delegation met with Senegal Fisheries Ministry and with representatives of the fisheries sector to inform them that EU was investigating the conditions under which foreign trawlers are fishing small pelagics in waters under Senegal’s jurisdiction, in the context of the EU regulation against IUU fishing. The EU delegation warned about the risk for Senegal to have its approval to export fish products on the EU market withdrawn, and to be designated as non cooperating state in regard of the IUU regulation, notably because fishing authorisations allocated to these vessels were not in conformity with the Senegalese law.
Senegalese fishing professionals reiterate that the European market is their main export market, in particular for artisanal fishing which supplies 70% of exports, and remind that they warned the authorities, since the beginning, about the risks, for the strategic small pelagics resources and for the fishing sector, to illegally give these licences to foreign trawlers.
Information sent by Gaoussou Gueye, vice président of conipas.
Second Mbour Fisheries Forum
About 300 small-scale fishing professionals are due to meet on July 4th at the David Boila Centre in Mbour, for the forum on "Who owns the fish?", according to a press release of the APS.
Gathered into the Artisanal Fishing Professionals’ Coalition of Mbour (CPPAM), these actors will discuss two topics: "Food security in fisheries, in particular in the case of small pelagics" and "Participative surveillance".
Participants will come from Mbour and from various Senegalese fishing communities, including Kayar, Ngaparou, Joal, Foundiougne, Djiffer, Yène, Ndayane, Lompoul, Fass Boye, Saint-Louis, etc.
This meeting will be the second forum organized by the CPPAM, after the one of July 2010, focussed on the themes of good governance, financing issues in artisanal fisheries, and value addition of catches.
ADE/SAB
Senegal: civil society and fishing sector unite against 22 Russian trawlers licensing
In a press conference held on March 17 in Dakar, representatives of professional organizations from the Senegalese industrial and small-scale fishing sector, as well trade unions and consumer organisations, denounced the presence in the Senegalese waters of Russian fishing vessels targeting small pelagics: "These vessels whose licences have been formally refused, are able to quietly operate, by day and by night, without be arrested...", says a press release from GAIPES (grouping of the shipowners and industrial fishing in Senegal).
How Africa is feeding Europe: EU (over)fishing in West Africa
This Expedition Report provides a basic overview of the type of vessels encountered during the expedition, highlighting some of the problems of overfishing through specific examples. According to views expressed by local fishermen in Senegal and Mauritania, a consequence of foreign operations in West Africa, local fishing communities sees their own catch diminish and sees the destruction of local marine resources at the hands of foreign operators, while the communities themselves reap few if any of the benefits.
West African Media and Artisanal Fishing Professionals: Raising awareness about sustainable fisheries issues
In the recent years, West African artisanal fishing organizations, CONIPAS (Senegal), FNP – section artisanale (Mauritania) and UNPAG (Guinea) recognised that, in their communities, there is insufficient access to information relating to responsible fisheries. In the same way, scientists, decision makers and public opinion, do not take sufficient account of the views of artisanal fishing professionals, whether on social, economic, cultural issues, or on our relation with the natural environment.
Facilitating access to information is crucial for the implementation of the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries by members of professional organizations, their families and the overall coastal community. It is also important to valorise, through improving information flows, traditional knowledge, and innovations proposed by artisanal professional in a perspective of responsible fishing.
Medias, radio in particular, - as it is widely listened to by fishing professional, even those who are not able to read-, but also newspapers and television, can play a bigger role to improve community access to information. But information must be presented in an appropriate format, so as to be of interest and accessible for all people from the community.
That’s the reason why these artisanal professional organizations decided to organize a regional meeting between media and fishing professionals, to explore how responsible fisheries issues can be better publicized in coastal communities, and how communities’ point of views and experiences for promoting sustainable fisheries can be better known and recognised, with media help. Given such support, coastal communities may get a better say in the decision making process.
The organisers are convinced that information appropriately tailored to the needs of coastal communities, and their participation in the creation of information is a necessary ingredient for the implementation of the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries. This is because fishing professionals are not only resource users but are also amongst the managers of these resources.
Common Position CONIPAS-UNPAG-FNP
Common Position concerning negotiations of the fisheries partnership agreements between the EU and Senegal, Mauritania and Guinea