Policy Incoherence: EU Fisheries Policy in Senegal

In Senegal, fish provides 75% of local protein needs and fishing plays an important role in the national economy. In 2002 it was estimated that the fishing industry generates about 100,000 direct jobs for Senegalese nationals, of which more than 90% are in small scale (artisanal) fishing. Another 600,000 people (15% of the working Senegalese population) are employed in related industries. The rising global demand for fish combined with pressures on world supplies means that Senegal’s ‘blue gold’ is an increasingly valuable resource. Since 1986, the sector has outpaced the groundnut and phosphate sectors in terms of exports, providing about one third of the country’s foreign exports. In 1999 the earnings from fishery exports was US$314 million. This was twice the country’s debt repayment for that year. Fishing access agreements also contribute significantly to government revenue.