Fishermen and the gas industry face an unprecedented crisis

Saint-Louis fishermen are facing an unprecedented crisis that threatens their existence and the local economy, due to the development of the gas project off the city. Access to the vital fishing zone of Diatara is now prohibited, endangering the livelihood of thousands of families dependent on this activity. This observation is taken from a press release shared by the Senegal Debout Party, which denounces the situation and the broken promises of the companies involved in the project, namely BP, Kosmos Energy and Petrosen.

At the heart of this crisis, the establishment of artificial reefs, supposed to compensate for the losses of fishermen, is the subject of unilateral revisions. While BP initially committed to installing twelve artificial reefs, this promise was reduced to just one, with no transparency on lead times. This behavior reflects a blatant disregard for the rights of local populations, even though Senegalese legislation requires prior compensation before any exploitation of a site impacting communities, as recalled in the press release from the Parti Sénégal Debout.

Faced with this alarming situation, the Senegal Debout Party calls on the State of Senegal to intervene firmly to enforce companies' commitments and ensure fair and legal compensation for affected communities. Alongside the renegotiation of contracts, the Party is calling for the establishment of a constructive dialogue, in order to guarantee a balanced solution which preserves both the rights of fishermen, the environment and the economic interests of the country.