1. What are fishing agreements?

Generally speaking, Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreements (SFPAs) aim to ensure the sustainable exploitation of fisheries resources, the supply of fish in the EU and the development of the fishing sector. fishing in partner countries. The EU currently has 14 active SFPAs with partner countries, including Senegal. The fisheries agreement is a transparent, coherent and mutually beneficial fisheries governance tool. The SFPAs exclusively target surplus stocks which are defined on the basis of the best available scientific advice and their management is based on the recommendations of the bilateral joint scientific committees established within the framework of the agreements. They aim at resource conservation and environmental sustainability, ensuring the implementation of fundamental laws and principles of both the EU and the partner country. So, as far as Senegal is concerned, EU vessels are only allowed to target surplus resources that Senegal is unwilling or unable to exploit, i.e. tropical tunas and black hake. There is no question of exploiting the coastal resources that Senegalese artisanal fishing fleets usually target. In exchange, the EU pays a fee for the right to access the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the partner country, such as Senegal, as well as sectoral support tailored to its needs. European shipowners also pay partner states a financial contribution based on fishing licenses and catches made in their waters. Senegalese law provides that foreign vessels may be authorized to fish in Senegal, but only within the framework of a fishing agreement or a charter contract (maritime fishing code, art. 27). As such, the fisheries agreement between the EU and Senegal is, to our knowledge, the only agreement of this type that is public.

2. Does the presence of European boats create competition for artisanal fishermen? And does the agreement take into account the capacity of the Senegalese fleet to exploit the resources granted to Europeans?

The activities of the EU fleet outside its own waters are subject to the same principles as those applied in Union waters (among others: good governance, use of scientific advice, transparency, non-competition with fleets local craft industries, taking into account social and working conditions, control of fishing activities, inspections, etc.). The SFPA between Senegal and the EU was negotiated so that the activities of European fleets do not interfere with national artisanal fleets. More precisely, EU vessels can only fish for 2 types of resources in Senegal: tropical tuna and black hake which are not species targeted by Senegalese artisanal fishermen. The quantities that are authorized within the framework of our partnership remain within the limits of the sustainable use of resources and in compliance with the management rules determined by the competent regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs), in particular the International Commission for Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT).

3. What do you respond to those who accuse the EU of being at the origin of the depletion of the resource in Senegal?

The assessment of fish stocks and the setting of management measures are based on scientific work carried out within the framework of RFMOs as well as on scientific cooperation between Senegal and the EU carried out within a joint scientific committee. This committee is made up of Senegalese scientists (from the Dakar Thiaroye Oceanographic Research Center, CRODT) and European scientists and makes it possible to monitor the state of fish stocks, in order to guarantee the sustainable implementation of the APPD. The results of its work are made public on the European Commission website. As an illustration, the catches of European vessels fishing in Senegal were, in 2023, 2,000 t of tropical tuna and 1,000 t of hake, or in total less than 1% of the total catches in Senegal, all fleets combined. . These data can be compared to the annual catches of artisanal fishing which are of the order of 400,000 t per year in recent years.

4. Is there any control by Senegal of the catches of European boats?

Under the EU-Senegal SFPA implementation protocol, the Senegalese authorities are the competent authorities to issue fishing authorizations to EU vessels that comply with the conditions set by the agreement. These vessels must transmit to the Senegalese authorities all data relating to their activities in Senegal's EEZ, in particular catch data. In addition, close monitoring, control and surveillance of the fishing activities of our vessels are carried out by the Senegalese and European authorities in order to ensure that EU vessels comply with the planned rules (satellite monitoring, declarations of catches by channel). electronic).

5. The fishing agreement allows European vessels to fish for tuna and hake up to the 6 nautical mile (11 km) zone reserved for traditional fishing. What do you think ?

This statement is false. European vessels fish well beyond the zone reserved for artisanal fishing. The current protocol sets out very precisely the fishing zone to which EU vessels have access. It is strictly identical to the zoning provided for by Senegalese regulations.

6. What species are covered by the fishing agreement?

European vessels covered by the fishing agreement are authorized to fish for 2 types of resources: tropical tuna and black hake.

7. What quotas are granted to European boats for bycatch?

Appendices 2 and 3 of the protocol determine the percentages of bycatch authorized according to fishing vessels: - For trawlers targeting black hake, 15% of cephalopods, 5% of crustaceans, and 20% of other deep demersal fish; - For other vessels targeting tuna species, bycatch must comply with ICCAT and FAO requirements. Monitoring, control and surveillance are carried out by Senegalese and European authorities to ensure that EU vessels comply with these rules.

8. What is the amount of the financial compensation for the right of access to Senegalese waters? And what do you say to those who say that the financial compensation is very low, unacceptable?

According to the current protocol signed by the EU and Senegal, the financial compensation is 1,700,000 euros per year for 5 years, i.e. 800,000 euros as financial compensation for access to fishing zones and an amount specific amount of 900,000 euros per year, as support for the implementation of Senegal's sectoral fisheries policy. In addition, the protocol estimates the amount of royalties paid by shipowners at 1,350,750 euros per year for 5 years, if the maximum number of vessels authorized to fish was reached. In total, it is an amount of approximately 15,250,000 euros (10 billion CFA francs) that Senegal will receive under the fishing protocol with the EU, over the period 2019-2024 (the implementation protocol , lasting 5 years, ends in November 2024).

9. Who participates in the negotiation of fishing agreements on the Senegalese side (civil society? representatives of fishing organizations)?

The EU-Senegal Fisheries Agreement is an international agreement negotiated and concluded by the authorities of both parties. For Senegal, these are representatives of the Ministry responsible for Fisheries. On the European side, civil society and professional organizations in the sector are regularly consulted through the Remote Fishing Advisory Council (https://www.ldac.eu/fr/). It is up to the Senegalese authorities to organize consultation with civil society and Senegalese fishing organizations.

10. Do both parties carry out an inventory of the fishery resources concerned (stock status) before renewing the agreement?

Are the results available to the public? Before a fisheries protocol expires, the EU is required to commission an independent evaluator to carry out a study on the application of the agreement. This assessment makes it possible, in particular, to observe the state of resources and to consult stakeholders and civil society. The evaluation on the current 2019-2024 protocol is still ongoing and will be published on the EU website. Furthermore, throughout the application of the protocol, a joint scientific committee composed of Senegalese and European scientists meets to assess the state of the resources concerned. The reports of this committee are published on the EU website (see: useful links).

11. What is being done at regional level by the EU for the sustainable management of Senegalese tuna fishing, including artisanal?

With the aim of supporting the sustainable management of natural resources and good governance practices, the EU is engaged in regional fisheries organizations and supports, financially and technically, its African partners to promote the conservation and long-term sustainability of oceans, as well as the effective implementation of the measures adopted by these organizations. The EU also contributes to the scientific work of ICCAT and the Eastern Central Atlantic Fisheries Committee (CECAF). The EU supports CECAF's primary role in developing scientific expertise, providing scientific advice and formulating scientific and management recommendations. Through these measures, it contributes to regional coordination to promote sustainable management of stocks in the region and the coordination of national administration and scientific institutions. The EU, through the sectoral support of the fisheries agreement, also technically and financially supports the work of the Dakar Thiaroye oceanographic research center (CRODT).

12. Is there a “job creation” dimension in the agreements? Does the fishing agreement have an economic and social dimension?

SFPAs with African countries require EU shipowners to take on board local fishermen. This provision ensures that partner country fishermen are not left behind when EU vessels fish in their waters. Under the current protocol, the obligation is as follows (Chapter V of the Annex): for the fleet of tuna seiners and longliners, at least 25% of the sailors on board during the tuna fishing campaign in the Senegalese fishing zone will be of Senegalese origin or possibly from an ACP country; for the pole-and-line fleet, at least 30% of the sailors on board during the fishing season in the Senegalese fishing zone will be of Senegalese origin or possibly from an ACP country; for the trawler fleet, at least 25% of the sailors on board during the fishing season in the Senegalese fishing zone will be of Senegalese origin or possibly from an ACP country. EU vessels are also required to unload part of their catch in the port of Dakar. This has a direct and positive impact on the creation of local jobs, for the port and the processing sector. Overall, this represents several dozen direct and indirect full-time jobs generated by the activity of European vessels active within the framework of this fishing partnership. (based on provisional data provided as part of the Fisheries Agreement Evaluation which will be published shortly).

13. What does Senegal gain from these agreements?

What does Europe gain? Within the framework of the SFPAs, partner countries, such as Senegal, receive a financial contribution in 2 envelopes (see question no. 9), one for access to fishing zones and the other for support for the development of local fishing sector. This latest envelope (4,500,000 euros, over 5 years) aims to support the local fishing sector, through development projects, such as the construction of an artisanal fishing quay in Ndangane, the renovation of the fishing quay of Hann, the cleaning of the seabed all along the coastline, support for fisheries surveillance operations or the development of fish farming in the Matam region. Furthermore, partner countries (notably Senegal, given the excellent reputation Senegalese seafarers enjoy in the sector) are seeing high levels of employment thanks to the development of industries and port facilities. Thus, 50 to 60% of the crews of EU vessels are nationals of partner countries, and more than 70% of catches are processed in these countries. In addition, part of the fish caught by European vessels supplies local markets and processing industries, thus improving food security or contributing to the creation of local added value. Thus in Senegal, pole-and-line tuna boats deliver their tuna to the Dakar tuna cannery (SCASA).

14. What do you say to those who accuse EU boats of polluting the sea?

The EU, in the wake of its international commitments (Kyoto Protocol (1997) and Paris Agreement (2015)), has committed to a policy of reducing carbon dioxide and sulfur emissions in the maritime transport sector. , encouraging the use of cleaner fuels and energy. More particularly in the fishing sector, the EU is engaged in initiatives aimed in particular at the decarbonization of fishing and other maritime activities, the objective being to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. The agreements Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFPA) provide a timely framework for bilateral cooperation with certain countries, including Senegal, and contribute to improving marine, maritime and fisheries policies, including environmental aspects such as the fight against pollution Marine.

15. Does the European Union have a right of oversight over the fishing sector in Senegal? Why did she adopt a “yellow card” towards Senegal?

Today's decision is based on the EU's anti-IUU fishing (illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing) regulations, which came into force in 2010. One of the pillars of this regulation is the certification system for catches, which ensures that only legally caught fishery products can access the European Union market. The Regulation also provides specific dialogue mechanisms with countries that fail to fulfill their obligations under international law as flag State, coastal State, port State or marketing State. The failures noted in recent years in Senegal's monitoring, control and surveillance systems concern vessels flying the flag of Senegal and operating in waters outside the country's jurisdiction, as well as controls on foreign fishing vessels in the port of Dakar. Furthermore, illegal exports from Senegal to the EU market have been detected, compromising the reliability of the traceability system on which the certification of the legality of fishery products is based. Finally, Senegal has, until now, not demonstrated sufficient willingness to cooperate with the Commission in the fight against IUU fishing.

16. Will this “yellow card” have an impact on the renewal of the fishing agreement with Senegal, the implementation protocol of which expires in November 2024?

Senegal is a long-standing partner of the European Union in the fishing sector. A Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement (SFPA) was concluded between Senegal and the EU in 2014. The current protocol (2019-2024) expires in November 2024 and its renewal will be assessed in accordance with the tolerance policy zero from the EU with regard to IUU fishing.

Useful links :

Sustainable fisheries partnership agreement with Senegal: https://oceans-and-fisheries.ec.europa.eu/fisheries/international-agreements/sustainable-fisheries-partnership-agreements-sfpas/senegal_en (only in English)

Council regulation of September 29, 2008 : https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/FR/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:02008R1005-20110309

Framework Agreement and Protocol 2014-2019: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/FR/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:22014A1023(01)

Protocol 2019-2024: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/FR/TXT/?qid=1424957307348&uri=CELEX:22019A1120(02)

Reports from the Joint Scientific Committees: https://oceans-and-fisheries.ec.europa.eu/fisheries/international-agreements/sustainable-fisheries-partnership-agreements-sfpas/senegal_en#scientific-advice

Evaluation of the fishing agreement will be published in April at this link: https://oceans-and-fisheries.ec.europa.eu/fisheries/international-agreements/sustainable-fisheries-partnership-agreements-sfpas/senegal_en#documents

For clean and healthy oceans: European policy on ocean protection: https://oceans-and-fisheries.ec.europa.eu/ocean/clean-and-healthy-oceans_en?prefLang=fr

Retrospective and prospective evaluation of the protocol to the partnership agreement in the field of sustainable fishing between the European Union and the Republic of Senegal : https://op.europa.eu/fr/publication-detail/-/publication/492a0a47-1422-11ef-a251-01aa75ed71a1