European Union fishing vessels will soon exit Senegalese waters after an agreement between Brussels and Dakar, active since 2019, expires at midnight on November 17, EU ambassador Jean-Marc Pisani confirmed on Tuesday.
The EU has chosen not to renew the agreement, citing concerns over Senegal’s efforts to address illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. Pisani emphasised that the EU fishing policy has zero tolerance for IUU practices, and renewing an agreement with unresolved issues would be inconsistent.
The suspension affects 18 Spanish and French vessels, which mainly fish for tuna and hake, species that do not compete directly with Senegal’s fishing industry. However, fishing remains a critical economic and cultural pillar in Senegal, supporting around 600,000 people, most of whom fish from traditional wooden pirogues.
While EU vessels were only permitted to fish surplus stocks under the agreement, the European Commission has flagged insufficient monitoring and regulation of both Senegalese and foreign vessels.
A new agreement may take months to negotiate, contingent on Senegal’s addressing these IUU concerns.
