Senegal, back from fishing

With alternate seasonal cold currents rich in nutrients from the Canary islands and hot equatorial currents, Senegal's 700 km of coast is full of marine wildlife. This local wealth fuels coastal fishing, 80% of which is done traditionally, with lines or nets on motorised wood dugout canoes. But it also attracts more efficient European trawlers which intensively exploit the resources and take them away from seaside countries thanks to fishing agreements. With an annual production of about 400 000 tons, fishing is Senegal's primary economic resource and mainly supplies the local market with fish such as tuna, sardines and hake. This fish is mostly sold on the beach, where the dugout canoes unload their produce. The fish are dried, smoked, matured or salted before being sent throughout the country. For the Senegalese and for a billion people throughout the world, the ocean is their primary source of animal protein.