On May 27, 2024, the European Commission pre-identified Senegal as a non-cooperating country in the fight against IUU fishing. This decision is part of the EU’s zero tolerance policy towards IUU fishing and follows several years of discussion with the Senegalese authorities. For the sake of political coherence, the European Commission has adopted the principle of suspending any renewal of a protocol implementing a fisheries partnership agreement with a coastal state until this decision is withdrawn.
According to the press release, a formal dialogue between Senegalese and European authorities on IUU fishing issues has opened, with the aim of resolving the problems identified. Pending favorable developments, the fishing agreement between the EU and Senegal will not be renewed. European vessels will therefore have to leave Senegal’s waters when the protocol expires on November 17, and Senegal will no longer receive a financial contribution under the fishing agreement.
The absence of a fishing protocol between the EU and Senegal is not a first. Between 2006 and 2014, the agreement was in fact stopped, allowing both parties to evaluate and renegotiate the conditions. The meeting of the Joint Commission in Brussels on November 5 and 6 allowed Senegal and the EU to have constructive exchanges. The partners agreed to use this non-renewal period to evaluate the results obtained under the current agreement. The EU remains ready to support Senegal in its efforts to combat IUU fishing and to help it remedy the shortcomings observed.
The European Commission takes note of the commitments of the new Senegalese Government to remedy the weaknesses of the control and traceability system of the fishing sector and products, and remains available to support and assist Senegal in these efforts.
The partnership between Senegal and the EU in the field of fisheries dates back to the early 1980s. Over the last five-year period (2019-2024), it brought to the Senegalese state budget a contribution of 8. 5 million euros, or more than 5.5 billion CFA francs, to which are added the royalties paid by shipowners. An envelope of 900,000 euros per year (590 million CFA francs) was intended for the implementation of projects chosen by the Senegalese administration to support the development of the fishing sector and its governance, including monitoring and scientific research. necessary for the preservation of fish stocks.
Over this five-year period, the catches of the European fleet in Senegalese waters represent less than 1% of the total catches declared and made by all the fleets in Senegalese waters, or nearly 10,000 tonnes of fish. These catches, targeting only tuna and black hake, were made in Senegalese waters beyond 12 nautical miles from the coast, thus avoiding interference with Senegalese artisanal fishing activities.
