Senegal fishing, Africa. Credit: Pierre Laborde, Shutterstock
May 13, 2025, the Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF) announced today that thousands of fishermen risk deadly journeys to the Canary Islands in Spain, crippling Senegal’s fisheries, and thousands of fishermen risk deadly journeys to the Canary Islands in Spain.
The UK-based human rights and environmental NGO has linked the collapse of Senegale fish stocks to a rapid increase in irregular migration, particularly to the Canary Islands.
Fishing is the foundation of Senegal’s economy and food supply. The West African sector provides employment for around 3% of the workforce and almost 8% of the population’s total protein intake, but is currently at stake. According to the EJF, 57% of Senegale’s fish stock is in a state of collapse, mainly due to decades of overfishing. Most of the fish is exported to foreign markets, particularly to Spain and China, with local communities not leaving their staple food sources.
West African communities have been devastated by overfishing
Approximately 45% of all licensed industrial fishing vessels in Senegal are managed by foreign interests and are often operated under opaque joint ventures. While many are registered under the Senegalese flag, the EJF has discovered that many are actually run by Spanish or Chinese companies.
These fleets frequently use bottom trolls. This is a destructive way to indiscriminately scoop everything on the seabed. This damage had dramatic results. Senegale’s fish consumption plummeted from 29kg per person to just 17.8kg.
Senegale families using dangerous boat migration as a last resort
With the collapse of the local economy and diet, many Senegale families have turned to boat transfers as a survival strategy. In 2024, 63,970 people entered Spain irregularly, with 46,843 arriving through the Canary Islands. This is the route considered the most dangerous ocean in the world. According to Caminando Fronteras, at least 3,176 immigrants have died on this route in 2023 alone.
“If I could make enough money from fishing, I wouldn’t have come to Europe,” said Memedu Racine Sek, now a former Senegalese fisherman in Tenerif.
The former fisherman interviewed by EJF described the journey as a last resort. It shares many stories of sinking boats, destroying fishing gear and reducing catches. In some tragic cases, the boat has capsized or drifted for several weeks without food or water, resulting in a massive number of casualties.
Resin is growing in coastal towns. Local activists and fishermen say foreign countries exploiting Senegal’s resources are partly responsible for the immigration crisis they are currently protesting.
Karim Saru, president of Aguile, Senegal Marine Conservation Group, said: “They’re coming here to steal our fish.”
The EJF also documented multiple violations by foreign fleets, including fishing in prohibited zones, using illegal netting and tampering with satellite pursuits. Senegal was issued a “yellow card” warning from the EU in May 2024 for not fighting illegal fishing, putting fish exports at risk to Europe.
EJF is calling for reform
The EJF and local fishermen are urging both the Senegalese government and the EU to:
- Reduce industrial fishing licenses
- We will implement protection for artisan fishermen
- Increase transparency in vessel ownership and licensing agreements
“The European authorities can now finish this,” said Steve Trent, CEO of EJF. “We will return the Senegalese fishing to the Senegalese people.”
Despite several reform promises under President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, many believe that changes have not happened quickly enough to stop the rising death toll in the sea or to restore the abused coasts of Senegal.
Read the full EJF report.
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