Strengthening Inter-Agency Collaboration in Senegal to Combat IUU Fishing

Stakeholder co-operation and collaboration remain key in efforts to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing in Senegal. For the past three years, an initiative funded by Oceans 5 and implemented by Partenariat Régional pour la Conservation de la zone Côtière et Marine en Afrique de l'Ouest (PRCM), the Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF), the Ministry of Fisheries and Maritime Economy of Senegal, and TMT has worked to strengthen this collaboration.

As its third – and last – year of implementation is still underway, the project, “Reinforcing the Fight Against IUU Fishing in Senegal through Improved Fisheries Governance and Transparency,” has overseen a number of achievements in Senegal. Between the 11th and 13th March 2025, this progress was the primary focus of an inter-agency workshop, as representatives from key national agencies gathered in Dakar, Senegal, hosted by the Direction for Fisheries Protection and Surveillance. The event brought together representatives from the Dakar Autonomous Port, the Maritime Affairs National Agency, the Navy, the High Authority for Maritime Safety and Environmental Protection, and other agencies involved in the fisheries sector.

Participants saw the gathering as an invaluable opportunity to share insights, define roles, and strengthen collaboration in the fight against IUU fishing. According to one national fisheries inspector, “having various agencies meet under one roof is crucial for understanding how we can work together effectively to combat IUU fishing.”

Inter-agency memorandum of understanding (MoU) finalized

A major milestone for the project was laying the foundation for inter-administration cooperation. Agencies have worked towards an MoU to formalize how they collaborate in combating IUU fishing. During the workshop, the final draft of the MoU was agreed upon, paving the way for approval by each respective administration.

New inter-agency communication platform

Real-time communication between stakeholders is critical in the fight against IUU fishing. To address this, the workshop introduced a free and user-friendly communication platform designed to help agencies share information more effectively. According to a national fishery inspector at the workshop, the use of this platform could have a great impact, enabling port authorities and port inspectors to have almost real time exchange regarding vessels using the port of Dakar.

Advocacy for the uptake of International Maritime Organization (IMO) numbers

In collaboration with EJF, initial discussions got underway review the Senegalese flagged fishing vessels fleet carrying IMO numbers. The first findings of the analysis of the fleet were presented at the meeting providing the opportunity for further actions including the update of a regulation making IMO numbers mandatory. The analysis also spurred the interest of the authorities to further request for an audit of the fleet. This has been one of the priorities of the new government toward ensuring better compliance and transparency in the sector.

Progress in port monitoring and intelligence-led controls

The workshop also focused on an assessment of the effective implementation of the FAO Port State Measures Agreement (PSMA) to which Senegal is a member.

Since 2021 Senegal has participated in the ‘Intelligence-led fisheries port controls’ programme, which was initiated by TMT and Global Fishing Watch (GFW) to support African States in the implementation of this agreement. Through this programme, Senegal has received a baseline analysis of port use by foreign-flagged fisheries vessels over a reference period of 3 years. More recently, Senegalese authorities were provided with quarterly reports which review port activities and use. These reports improve national authorities’ knowledge of the types of vessels using their ports and of the pre-port activity conducted by those vessels. They also enable them to identify IUU risks to which Senegal may be exposed as a port State, and facilitate the targeting of vessels for inspection.

Hands-on training with Vessel Viewer

Participants at the workshop were also offered a training session on Vessel Viewer, an application developed by GFW and TMT aimed at providing port inspectors with the most up-to-date information on a fishing vessel’s identity and operations. The application had already been introduced to Senegal through a prototype, and users are now being transitioned to the new version of Vessel Viewer, which has been fully integrated into the Global Fishing Watch map. Participants had the opportunity to discover new functionalities and gain practical knowledge about the tool through several exercises.

One inspector shared how he personally uses Vessel Viewer to verify vessel identity and activity prior its visit to Dakar, and how it allows him to quickly determine which documents to request and areas to focus on during an inspection.  

A step forward for Senegal

Participants left the workshop with new tools, insights, and strengthened relationships to enhance their collective efforts against IUU fishing. The event highlighted the progress made over the past three years and laid the groundwork for sustained collaboration. The ongoing commitment of agencies, along with the support of global initiatives like Oceans 5, PRCM, EJF, and TMT, ensures Senegal’s fight against IUU fishing continues.