Unapas calls for departure of fisheries minister and denounces poor state policy in this sector

UNAPAS (Union of Artisanal Fisheries of Senegal) gathering fishermen from different regions of the country did not hide its dissatisfaction with the Minister of Fisheries and the Government. The high cost of fishing equipment, the establishment of CLPAs, the non-formalization of their sector, the imperfection of the new fishing code and the unacceptable behavior of their parent ministry remain their main concerns. For these fishermen, the state talks about engine subsidies, but to tell the truth, it requires a real obstacle course that lasts an average of eight months.

Fishermen also denounced the lack of representativeness of those who speak on their behalf. "Fishing wharf presidents must not speak on behalf of fishermen, because they are elected by GIEs and not fishermen," denounces Abdoulaye Ndao, spokesperson for Unapas. However the fishermen point out that fishing boats remain the enemy number one of the Senegalese fishing and the arrival of oil and gas will cause useless areas. That is why they are not ruling out a privatization of our fisheries resources.

In conclusion, they denounced the screaming lack of processing and conservation units, before demanding the departure of their minister of tutelage who, according to them, "does not understand the real issues of their sector .. . "