Migration of Senegalese fishers: a case for regional approach to management

Thomas Binet,Andy Thorpe,Pierre Failler

doi:10.1186/2212-9790-11-1

Thomas Binet, Andy Thorpe + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.1186/2212-9790-11-1

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Journal: Maritime studies : MAST	Publication Date: Jun 6, 2012
Citations: 70	License type: cc-by

Affiliation: University of Portsmouth

Abstract

This article traces the recent history of Senegalese small-scale fishers’ migration in West Africa. It details how migration of Senegalese fishers developed and then intensified to become a specialized fishing strategy spread out all along the coast of West Africa, from Mauritania to Sierra Leone and beyond. This escalation has rapidly led to the depletion of fish stocks in the region. Today, while fishing migration still largely contributes to food security and provision of sustainable livelihood for coastal communities, this type of migration has reached both an ecological and social deadlock and its future is largely uncertain. Based on current trends in Senegalese fishing migration, this paper highlights the main drivers of changes and impacts of migration. It proposes the development of a regional approach to fisheries management, emphasizing the need for collaborative transnational research projects and stressing the necessity for biodiversity project managers to include the issue of fisheries migration in their regional conservation strategies. It also suggests there may be a need to introduce property rights so as to limit the open access enjoyed by Senegalese migrant fishers almost all over the West African sub-region.

Highlights

The fisheries sector in West African countries is of paramount importance as a critical source of economic, social, environmental and cultural value for West Africa’s growing population of almost 300 million people: fisheries can represent up to 15% of national Gross Domestic Product and up to 30% of export revenues, employs around 7 million people and provides up to 50 of total animal protein intake of the region’s population while sustaining local livelihoods for coastal communities (Binet 2008)
This article examines the recent history of Senegalese small-scale fishers' migration in West Africa
We identify three key issues that need to be addressed – the informational deficit that presently exists relating to the activities of migrant fishers in the region, the legality of such fishing activities, and the conflicts such activities may induce vis-à-vis existing local fishing communities

Summary

Introduction

The fisheries sector in West African countries is of paramount importance as a critical source of economic, social, environmental and cultural value for West Africa’s growing population of almost 300 million people: fisheries can represent up to 15% of national Gross Domestic Product and up to 30% of export revenues, employs around 7 million people and provides up to 50 of total animal protein intake of the region’s population while sustaining local livelihoods for coastal communities (Binet 2008). In the 1990s, at a time when the region served growing global demand while trying to develop an economically viable fisheries sector at home, a general overexploitation of fish stocks has been highlighted (Failler and Gascuel 2008). This overexploitation has become even more pronounced recently (Ibid). This begged the question as to how long would fish resources be able to sustain intensive small-scale fishing and especially activities of migratory Senegalese fishers and others? Is it not too late to take steps towards better management of this issue?

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