Senegalese fishing communities struggle in BP offshore gas expansion
A growing number of fishermen and vendors along the shores of Senegal say they are being pushed to the brink as a result of the offshore gas boom, led in part by the multinational giant BP.
"Of course, we thank God for the gas platform," said one local fisherman, sharply adding, "But the truth is that gas has had a big impact on our work. Our fishermen sometimes come back empty-handed. Sometimes they risk their lives on the coast of Nouakchott in Mauritania, because things have become difficult on the Senegalese side."
A fishmonger, Fanta Sow, whose livelihood, like many others, is tied to the sea, told Viory that their "fish processing plant is on the brink of collapse. The plant has no light, and we're missing a lot of things. We can no longer get fish at a reasonable price.”
Sow says the promised benefits of the offshore gas project have not materialised for her community.
"We were told so many times that this would benefit us, but we’ve seen nothing. We've been abandoned. We have no place to keep our fish, no cold storage, nothing. So they haven’t kept their promises,” she added.
Despite infrastructure projects like schools in some areas, frustration simmers among residents near Diatara, one of the coastal villages closest to the gas operations.
El Hadj Dousse Fall, president of the Fishermen’s Association, explained in French how the gas exploration has drastically reduced access to traditional fishing areas.
He said, "We used to fish peacefully in Senegalese and even Mauritanian waters. But now, due to the offshore gas blocks, we’re restricted. The area between Cayard and Sangomar is shrinking. These were vital fishing grounds, now we’re in real difficulty."
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
