In Senegal, fishing supplies nearly all of the country’s seafood products. Illegal catches off the Senegalese coast put extra pressure on fish stocks and make cooperation with strategic partners more difficult.

The European Union (EU) has decided not to renew its fishing agreement with Senegal, a five-year protocol that started in 2019 and is set to expire on November 17, 2024. This decision, announced by EU Ambassador Jean-Marc Pisani on November 12, signals the EU’s strong stance against illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. According to Pisani, Senegal hasn’t made enough progress in cracking down on these harmful practices, prompting the EU to take a firm step back.

Earlier this year, on May 27, the European Commission issued an official warning to Senegal after discovering illegal fish exports from Senegal to EU markets. This warning was meant to push Senegal toward better oversight of its fishing industry and stricter control over illegal practices. However, despite the pressure, the EU believes not enough has changed.

Though the fishing agreement will not be renewed, the EU has pledged to help Senegal improve its fishing industry. The EU plans to support Senegalese efforts to strengthen systems that monitor and trace fish products from catch to export. According to the Senegalese Press Agency (APS), the EU and Senegal are already in formal talks to tackle these issues. The goal is to address illegal fishing activities and put Senegal on track to meet EU standards.

"Pending a favorable development, the fisheries agreement between the EU and Senegal will not be renewed. European vessels will therefore have to leave Senegalese waters when the protocol expires on 17 November, and Senegal will no longer receive any financial contribution under the fisheries agreement," the EU stated in a press release published on November 12.

Financial Impact on Senegal’s Fishing Sector

The decision not to renew this fishing agreement will hit Senegal’s fishing sector financially. Between 2019 and 2024, the EU contributed €8.5 million (around $9 million) to Senegal’s budget through this deal. More than half of that funding supported Senegal’s fishing sector, financing projects that boosted local infrastructure and fishing industry development. This included building fishing docks at Ndangane Sambou in the Fatick region and Hann in Dakar, which brought jobs and growth to these areas. The agreement also provided funds for projects in surveillance and scientific research, helping ensure that fish stocks remain sustainable.

Without the EU’s financial backing, Senegal will lose a major source of support for its fishing industry. As of 2022, Senegal’s fishing sector produced about 500,000 tons of fish, according to data from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).