The European Union announced on Tuesday that it will not renew its fishing agreement with Senegal, following concerns over illegal fishing practices.
The EU cited Senegal’s failure to monitor and control fishing activities, both by local and foreign vessels.
As a result, European vessels must leave Senegalese waters when the agreement expires on Sunday.
Senegal’s government has not yet responded to the announcement.
The agreement, signed in 2019, allowed European boats to fish in Senegalese waters but has faced criticism for contributing to overfishing.
Fishing is a vital industry in Senegal, with one in six people employed in the sector.
Many local fishermen complain they cannot compete with industrial foreign trawlers.
The EU claims that its vessels account for less than 1% of total catches in Senegalese waters in recent years.
This decision follows a campaign promise by President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, who recently launched an audit of the sector.
