Along the Senegalese coastline, from Cap Skirring to the Coast Guard, artisanal fishermen face repeated incursions by industrial vessels into the area supposedly reserved for them. Despite official commitments to respect the twelve-nautical-mile limit, these violations persist, revealing a lack of maritime control and surveillance. For local communities, this situation is not merely a geographical encroachment, but a direct threat to their livelihoods and the economic cohesion of coastal villages.

Artisanal fishing, the backbone of the local economy, is facing a challenge from heavy trawlers capable of uprooting traditional nets and disrupting fish stocks. Fishermen are forced to venture further offshore, lengthening their trips to sea and increasing the risk to their safety. These incidents, sometimes tragic, highlight the fragility of a system where regulations exist but struggle to be enforced, to the detriment of the communities that depend on it.

Beyond the simple issue of fleet coexistence, national food security is threatened. Artisanal fishing provides a significant portion of the country's animal protein supply and employs hundreds of thousands of people. The decline in local catches not only increases household costs but also weakens the national fish market, with immediate social and economic consequences for coastal communities.

The National Union of Artisanal Fishermen of Senegal has launched a campaign to identify and document conflict zones, aiming to strengthen monitoring and highlight violations. The organization emphasizes the need for concrete and coordinated measures, ranging from precise mapping of restricted areas to more effective patrols, to ensure sustainable governance of fisheries resources.

This confrontation illustrates a broader dilemma facing African coastal economies: how to reconcile openness to international markets with the protection of local livelihoods. If national authorities fail to fairly balance industrial interests with the needs of artisanal fishers, the very equilibrium of coastal communities risks being destabilized, with repercussions extending far beyond the Senegalese coast.