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 The EU delegation warned about the risk for Senegal to have its approval to export fish products on the EU market withdrawn, and to be designated as non cooperating state in regard of the IUU regulation, notably because fishing authorisations allocated to these vessels were not in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.