A leader within Senegal’s fishing community has reported that at least 40 people are feared dead following a wave of strikes and attempted escapes by sea.
Speaking to the BBC, the representative stated that the casualties resulted from two distinct causes: violent clashes during industrial strikes and drownings as individuals attempted to flee the unrest. The report indicates that the deaths occurred as tensions escalated within the artisanal fishing sector, where workers have been protesting economic conditions and the encroachment of industrial trawlers into protected coastal waters.
The strikes were triggered by long-standing disputes over fishing rights and the impact of foreign industrial fleets on local catches. Artisanal fishermen, who rely on small-scale operations, have reported a sharp decline in fish stocks, which they attribute to the presence of large-scale commercial vessels operating in zones reserved for local use.
According to the fishermen’s leader, the desperation caused by the economic collapse of the sector and the subsequent violence led some individuals to attempt to leave the area via the Atlantic coast. These attempts often involve the use of overcrowded pirogues, traditional wooden boats that are prone to capsizing in rough seas, leading to the reported drownings.
The reported deaths come at a time of heightened volatility in the region’s maritime districts. The artisanal fishing industry is a primary employer in several coastal towns, and the current unrest has disrupted local supply chains and food security in the affected areas.
Senegalese authorities have not yet released an official casualty count or provided a detailed breakdown of the deaths reported by the union leader. Government spokespeople have previously acknowledged the economic pressures facing the fishing community but have maintained that regulations regarding industrial zones are being monitored.
The Ministry of Fisheries and Maritime Economy has not issued a formal response to the specific claim of 40 deaths.
