The Sub-Regional Commission of Fisheries (CSRP) and the NGO Global Fishing Watch have sealed a partnership major technological in Dakar to track down illegal fishing vessels and stop the alarming decline in fish stocks. This information systems workshop brings together experts from the region to take stock of the first year of a joint project and to deploy state-of-the-art satellite monitoring tools in the face of losses in the billions.
West African marine ecosystems are under unprecedented pressure, exacerbated by overexploitation and climate change. The sardinelle, a vital resource for the local economy and food, recorded a catastrophic decrease in its biomass. Climate disturbances are now moving species out of their usual areas, from Mauritania to Senegal.
« The evaluations carried out estimate an obligation to reduce fishing pressure by 60%. There are too many industrial fishing vessels, but also too many artisanal fishing vessels. Our joint control operations have demonstrated significant illegal fishing activity, « said Dr. Khallahi BRAHIM, representative of the Subregional Fisheries Commission.
Faced with the prohibitive cost of traditional maritime patrols, the states of the sub-region are turning to new technologies. The proposed device makes it possible to geolocate suspicious ships in real time, to detect intrusions in protected areas and to coordinate interceptions at sea.
« This technology allows you to know who is fishing, where you are fishing, and what you are fishing. No country in Africa is totally spared from this problem. The means necessary to fully control the ocean are lacking in African countries, « explained Dame Mboup, Global Fishing Watch program manager for Africa.
Supported by the Ministry of Fisheries and the Maritime Economy of Senegal, this alliance aims to perpetuate the use of satellite data within national surveillance devices to sustainably protect the subregional maritime economy.
« Illicit, unreported and unregulated fishing is a scourge that undermines the efforts of States. States have operational means to cope, but that is not enough, which is why these innovative tools are used, « concluded Adama Faye, technical advisor at the Ministry of Fisheries of Senegal.
