Of the 163 licences allocated to fishing boats, 23 are foreign vessels, all of which are French and Spanish owned, Sow said. Some licences, however, have been given to “mixed companies”, whereby Chinese, Russian and Turkish vessels partner with a Senegalese fishing enterprise that maintains at least a 51% stake in the company.
“This phenomenon is not about youth unemployment. There are tailors and mechanics who close their shops to take theResidents of Fass Boye say their only alternative to fishing is agriculture, but that that too has become unsustainable. Cabbage, onions, turnips and potatoes used to grow readily, but desertification, heatwaves and violent winds have taken their toll on farmland.
“In the end, we have nothing to give them, so they’re forced to leave,” he said. “It’s too difficult for them to stay and see their families unable to meet their daily needs.” Diop, a fisherman, had been struggling to contribute to the household. In addition to Ndoye, he left behind two siblings and a pregnant wife.