Consultations with stakeholders of Senegalese Sardinella fishery result in identification of measures for fisheries management plan
6-10 March 2023, Senegal – The EAF-Nansen Programme met with key fisheries stakeholders from Saint Louis, Joal (including M'bour) and Kafountine in Senegal, to discuss the process of developing a management plan for the Sardinella fishery according to the ecosystem approach to fisheries (EAF), with management measures in the three major fishing sites.
During the consultation process, the stakeholders validated the status of the fishery and identified the objectives and activities of the development of the management plan for the sardinella fishery.
Concerning the objective of restoring sardinella stocks, exchanges were made to collect proposals from the stakeholders on the management measures to be implemented for the zoning, allocation, closed season, the conditions of access, night fishing, effort and catch regulation, and juvenile fishing.
This mission followed a first consultation meeting organized in June 2022 to work with all the stakeholders of the fishery to initiate the process of developing the management plan for the sardinella fishery according to the EAF. During this consultation, the Shared Sardinella initiative of the EAF-Nansen Programme, as well as past and future activities for the development of the management plan were presented.
About the Shared Sardinella initiative of the EAF-Nansen Programme
The implementation of the "Shared Sardinella initiative” in Northwest Africa was launched in 2020. It responds to the need for regional collaboration on the management of shared sardinella stocks between Morocco, Mauritania, Senegal and the Gambia.
The present situation is very worrying since the stocks of Round and Flat Sardinella are largely overexploited, and urgent action must be taken according to the latest recommendations by experts from the scientific committee of the Fishery Committee for the Eastern Central Atlantic (CECAF):
“The assessment and the historical series on sardinella show that the round sardinella stock is in a critical situation caused by strong overexploitation. The working group reiterates the recommendations of previous years for the management of the stock and advocates for a substantial and immediate reduction in fishing effort and mortality. The working group has proposed a reduction of at least 60 percent of the current mortality on this stock.
To improve the state of sardinella stocks, it is recommended to prohibit their use for the manufacture of fishmeal. The working group also recommended that national governments assume their responsibilities for the sustainable management of sardinella and initiate consultations on the joint management of this fundamental resource.“
It is in this context that FAO, through the Shared Sardinella initiative within the framework of the EAF-Nansen Programme, supports regional collaboration for the sustainable management of these resources for the entire sub-region.
Towards a management plan for sardinella in Senegal
The consultations that started in March in these fishing sites, and will be continued in Kayar and Hann, will serve as a basis for the development of the management plan for the Sardinella fishery in Senegal.
The finalized plan will then be presented shortly to the stakeholders for validation before being validated by the National Advisory Council for Maritime Fisheries, for final approval.
During the month of April 2023, a consultation mission will be organized in The Gambia, where a similar process for the development of a Sardinella management plan is also supported as part of the Shared Sardinella initiative.
More on the topic:
- Shared sardinella: Supporting the implementation of the ecosystem approach to fisheries for the management of shared sardinella stocks in northwest Africa (brochure)
- Senegal initiates management plan for Sardinella fisheries
- Sardinella fisheries: quickly disappearing vital source of food and nutrition security in Northwest Africa