International Waters learning Exchange & Resource Network

7.3 - Senegal Sustainable Management of Fisheries Resources and West Africa Regional Fisheries projects


Senegal Fisheries SCM Photo for Case Study

Highlighted Practices for GEF PMs

Senegal Sustainable Management of Fisheries Resources and West Africa Regional Fisheries projects developed the following key practices that other GEF PMs might replicate:

  • The project promoted the creation of private associations in Senegal for coastal fisheries.   The government allowed and supported the creation of such fisheries associations under commercial law; these entities then prepare management measures and enter into a legal contract to manage the fisheries.
  • The incentives and involvement in the process ensure that the fishermen are eager to take a greater role in management or even direct management.  In other cases, the private sector will become organized to help with the allocation of rights and eventually to take a greater role.  The World Bank is working to expand this model to neighboring countries.
  • The project focuses on forming training organizations and recommending the management measures with legal support and enforcement from government.  The associations were dependent on project resources to get organized.
  • The private sector was informally associated in the past because government had not engaged them.  It took significant work to get the private sector organized into groups.  They did not provide co-finance.

The associations provide clear transparent rights to the fisheries – mechanism/incentives to become involved and secure the rights over the long term.

Co-Management Association in Senegal Fisheries Photo for Case Study


Purpose

The purpose of these GEF/World Bank mixed investments are to reduce illegal fishing, strengthen the countries’ capacity to sustainably govern and manage their fisheries, address declining fish stocks and rebuild some of these fisheries.

As stated in the project proposal, “The local fishing communities should be empowered and where necessary organized (e.g. as legally recognized Local Fishers’ Committees) to collaborate with government institutions to sustainably utilize and manage the globally-significant coastal fisheries resources.”  For more information, please visit http://www.worldbank.org/projects/ P106063/west-africa-regional-fisheries-program?lang=en.


Investment

The investment in Senegal is $6.0M from the GEF and a $3.5M loan from the World Bank.

The total project cost for the West Africa Regional Fisheries is more than $46M, invested in Cape Verde, Liberia, Senegal and Sierra Leone.


Drivers

The projects are reforming and rebuilding the governance framework for how fish resources are used and managed.  The project focuses on developing the environmental and governance framework to rebuild stocks.

The key approach is to align the incentives of fisherman and other companies. The project closes access and defines access rights and catch or geographic area where the fishermen are based.

Co-Management Association 2 in Senegal Fisheries Photo for Case StudyImpact

The private sector groups are taking ownership of the program to play this enhanced and direct management role.


Case Study Questions and Answers

Is there an existing outcome that can be developed or is a new one required?

The partnership was formed to reform and rebuild the governance framework for how fish resources are used and managed.

Will the outcome be sustainable and/or scalable?

The sustainability of the project depends on the private sector groups standing on their own to play this greater and direct management role.

What are the “business relevant” opportunities related to the geography, content and relationships?

The key approach of the partnership was to align the incentives of fisherman and other companies.  It closed access and defined access rights and catch for the geographic area where the fishermen are based.

Who was involved?

The Local Fishers’ Committees, government, GEF and World Bank collaborated to sustainably utilize and manage the coastal fisheries resources.