In Senegal, one of the countries with the richest coastline in the world in terms of fishery resources, traditional fishing continues to be one of the main sources of income for many households. However, in recent years, fish have become scarce due to competition from large vessels. However, in recent weeks a certain abundance of fish has been noted by traditional fishermen. Here are the advanced explanations.
Fishing in Senegal provides a direct livelihood for 53,000 people and allows the creation of 600,000 indirect jobs, or 15% of the country’s active population. Barely installed, President Diomaye Faye decided to bring order to this sector by making public the list of vessels authorized for fishing in Senegalese waters.
A first step in the regulation of the sector that fishermen appreciate knowing the devastation caused by vessels which fish off the West African coast and are held responsible for the scarcity of fish pushing traditional fishermen to seek it far from the coast with all the dangers this entails.
Chance sometimes doing things well, the Senegalese coasts have been very full of fish for several days.
If some already see this as the consequence of the president’s decision, professionals are categorical: the abundance of fish is just due to this favorable period for fishing.
Faced with industrial vessels, fishermen are invited to organize themselves into economic interest groups (EIGs), businesses or companies to obtain financing and buy boats capable of fishing far from the coast instead of continuing to fish with homemade canoes.
