The EU says it will not renew a fishing agreement between Brussels and Dakar following “shortcomings” over illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.
The accord between the EU and Senegal, in force since 2019, is due to expire at midnight on Sunday.
Jean-Marc Pisani, EU ambassador for West Africa said the agreement would not be renewed for the time being after Senegal failed to act against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
The European Commission had notified the Senegalese government on 27 May of “serious shortcomings” and “failures in monitoring, control and surveillance systems” for Senegalese-flagged ships in extra-territorial waters as well as for foreign ships in the port of Dakar.
European boats will stop fishing in Senegal’s exclusive economic zone from midnight on 17 November, Pisani told reporters in Dakar on Tuesday.
Senegal will no longer receive any financial contribution under the agreement.
“These European boats will be able – it will be up to the shipowners – to continue fishing elsewhere”, he said, citing agreements between the EU and Senegal’s neighbours: The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania and Cape Verde.
€8.5 million from EU since 2019
Under the accord, EU boats – mainly Spanish – are authorised to catch 10,000 tonnes of fish per year.
In return, Senegal has received 5.5 billion CFA francs (8.5 million euros) since 2019.
The halt in fishing in Senegalese waters will impact 18 vessels, which catch tropical tuna and hake. Pisani said that did not represent any real competition for the Senegalese fishing sector.
He also underlined that European boats had brought up only 10,000 tonnes of fish in the last five years.
Source: allAfrica.com