The Senegalese branch of Transparency International and NGOs have highlighted corruption and the lack of transparency in fisheries governance and made recommendations to improve it, while the Senegalese Ministry of Fisheries and the Maritime Economy officially announced that it would not grant the 54 fishing licenses to vessels of Chinese and Turkish origin.
This follows concerted opposition from the majority of Senegalese fisheries stakeholders to these licences being granted buy the authorities.
The Ministry only responded favourably to a request for change of fishing method for two vessels already under the Senegalese flag, which are switching from purse seining to longlining.
The government of Senegal had sent a list of 56 license applications to CCALP in early April during the height of restrictions put in place to prevent the spread of Covid-19. This resulted in concerted action by artisanal and industrial fishing organisations, as well as civil society bodies, to oppose the allocation of these licenses.
The Civil Forum, the Senegalese branch of the NGO Transparency International has highlighted the challenges of governance of a sector “characterised by fraud, corruption, exaggerated corporatism and de facto monopoly situations organised or maintained by the government.”
The Civil Forum has published a number of recommendations to the government and the Senegalese industrial fishing organisation (GAIPES) to improve fisheries management.
These require an audit of the Senegalese flag by an independent body, publication of the list of licenses granted (between 2018-2019 and 2020, renewed or regularised) in order to know the effective beneficiaries and the categories of fisheries concerned and for the survey of fishing authorisations allocated under the management of Omar Gueye and initiated by Aminata Mbengue Nidaye to be finalised.
Among other measures, the Civil Forum also recommends urgent measures against fraud by vessels under other flags which land in Senegal, immediate engagement with the Ministry of Fisheries and Maritime Economy, participation with other interested parties in funding research and working with the ministry and other stakeholders to review and improve the legal framework for Senegal’s maritime economy.
