Senegal will evaluate fishing agreements and licenses negotiated with its partners, including the European Union, to ensure that they are optimized to benefit the industry, President Bassirou Diomaye Faye said.
According to minutes from a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, the government plans to conduct an “evaluation of fishing agreements and licenses” in order to safeguard its resources and support small-scale fishermen.
Faye also advocated for a review of the marine fisheries legislation to enhance measures for combating illicit fishing.
Considering the news, a fishing treaty between Senegal and the European Union could also be revised. The agreement, which expires in November this year, permits European vessels to fish tuna and black hake in specific zones off the coast of Senegal.
Both European and Senegalese media outlets have leveled accusations against European vessels since the protocol's signing in 2020, alleging that they overfished the species that Senegalese artisanal fishermen were targeting, consequently leading to their unemployment and illegal immigration.