The Platform of Artisanal Fishing Stakeholders of Senegal (PAPAS), in partnership with REFEPAS and CONAPED, held a press conference this Wednesday at the Bargny wharf to raise awareness of the deep crisis affecting the sector. Its president, Mamadou Sarr, spoke out to denounce the complete lack of assistance for fishermen lost at sea and to directly appeal to the authorities.

According to Mamadou Sarr, between January 2025 and February 2026, several Senegalese pirogues disappeared in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), without any effective rescue operation being carried out. For Saint-Louis alone, consolidated data since 2018 reveals a horrifying toll: 359 accidents at sea, 218 deaths, and 79 missing persons, for estimated economic losses of 1.7 billion CFA francs.

"Behind these figures are lives lost, families grieving, and communities permanently weakened," he insists emotionally.

Faced with this situation, Mamadou Sarr is sounding the alarm. "Does the security of people and property that the State of Senegal must guarantee truly include the lives of fishermen and their livelihoods? Today, the prevailing feeling is one of abandonment: letting them die, because they are just fishermen. Take responsibility, or we will take ours," he warns.

The president of PAPAS points out that the authorities had pledged to push industrial vessels beyond 12 nautical miles to protect artisanal fishing. This promise has remained unfulfilled, while fishing grounds are increasingly moving further from the coast, exposing artisanal fishers to greater risks. "The Senegal 2050 Vision cannot be realized without effectively securing the livelihoods of those who form its foundation," argues Mamadou Sarr.

To break this deadlock, PAPAS recommends emergency measures that must be implemented without delay:

The State must proceed with the approval and mass deployment of geolocation kits to secure all artisanal canoes.

It is imperative to strictly enforce fishing zones reserved for artisanal fishermen by keeping industrial vessels away.

The authorities must implement all 13 commitments of the charter for sustainable fishing in order to preserve the resource.

A structured program to combat the exploitation and marketing of juveniles must be launched to guarantee the renewal of species.

The government must engage in concerted management with all stakeholders to avoid a social implosion in coastal areas.

“Solutions exist, but they are not being implemented. The situation is becoming untenable and the State has an obligation to act immediately,” concludes Mamadou Sarr.