Joining the Fisheries Transparency Initiative (SN0004)

What is the public issue that the commitment will address? Fisheries is a strategic sector for the national economy and food security. However, it still faces a number of challenges, notably the unavailability and quality of certain data, as well as difficulties in coordinating the various stakeholders.

What are the objectives of the commitment? The main objective is to make Senegal to join FITI, with a view to strengthening the governance of the sector. In this respect, it will be necessary to: - Set up a system for collecting, processing and publishing data concerning the sector - Strengthen dialogue between the various stakeholders in order to improve transparency and the participation of actors in the governance of the sector.

How would the commitment contribute to solving the public issue? The commitment will enable Senegal to: - improve governance, in particular the transparency and quality of decision-making in the fisheries sector - strengthen its leadership in fisheries governance - contribute to the sustainable management of fisheries, in particular by reducing the State's economic losses linked to non-transparency - strengthen the attractiveness of the sector for donors and investors - to support the efforts of the State in the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing by preserving jobs in the sector

Why is this commitment relevant to the OGP values? The commitment can help promote transparency, participation and accountability in the fisheries sector.

Further information Commitment of the President of the Republic in 2016 to see Senegal join FITI; - Adherence of professionals and civil society to the principles of FITI and existence of an advocacy coalition for transparency in the management of small pelagics; - Commitment of the Regional Partnership for the Conservation of the Coastal and Marine Zone of West Africa (PRCM) to support the process technically and financially; - Existence of a roadmap for Senegal. 23

Important activity with a verifiable deliverable Agenda Start Closure 1. Advocate for FITI membership September 2021 April 2022 2. Advocate for the adoption of texts relating to the implementation of the FITI May 2022 July 2022 3. Establish the Multi-Stakeholder Group and the FITI National Secretariat (produce the proceedings, validate the TOR, set up) August 2022 September 2022 4. Formally establish the National Multi-Stakeholder Group (stakeholder consultations, drafting of organizational and operational acts, establishment) September 2022 November 2022 5. Draw up an action plan December 2022 February 2023 6. To prepare and transmit Senegal's application for membership to the FITI Board of Directors March 2023 August 2023

Action Plan Review

Commitment 4: Commitment to the Fisheries Transparency Initiative (FITI)

For a complete description of commitment 4, see the action plan: https://www.opengovpartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Senegal_Action-Plan_2021-2023_EN.pdf

Context and objectives

Marine fisheries, a strategic sector in Senegal's economic weight and food security, face a number of challenges. Overfishing, pollution, and climate change are increasing pressure on the country’s marine fisheries, which account for 80 percent of the total capture, 60 percent of supply for exports and over 108,000 jobs and livelihoods. [37]

The lack of available data and weak governance of the sector result in economic losses for the state, threaten stability and jobs, in particular for the smaller operators, and put the sustainability of the industry at risk. [38] In this context, the President of Senegal committed to joining the global Fisheries Transparency Initiative (FiTI) in 2016, but the process is still unachieved. The FiTI is a voluntary, global initiative that supports coastal countries in responsible and sustainable fishing through enhanced transparency and multi-stakeholder collaboration. [39] Engaging with the FiTI is a process to progressively improve transparency in the fisheries sector.

While Senegal is already part of a similar international initiative for extractive industries (EITI), this commitment aims to sustain political will, private sector and civil society involvement to submit Senegal's official application to the FiTI. [40] The commitment has clear and specific milestones, with the main objectives of setting up a multi-stakeholder group to lead the process, applying to FiTI membership and preparing a first action plan.

Potential for results: Modest

A lack of transparency and a weak governance framework makes sustainable fisheries management difficult and opens the door to unethical business practices. Therefore, it is essential to level the playing field, by making information available to the public and by forming a broad coalition to improve sectoral governance. If Senegal complies with FiTi transparency and multi-stakeholder co-ordination standards over time, the commitment could have substantial results on opening government in the longer term. For the time being, joining the FiTI is a modest first step towards this goal.

Transparency around Senegal’s fisheries is currently characterized by unavailability or inaccuracy of essential data. Several ministries lack free access websites that should provide relevant, comprehensive, and up-to-date information. This is a serious issue for the timely publication of data, as reported by the Ministry of the Fisheries and FiTI regional co-ordinator. [41] For example, the most recent statistical report for one directorate was published in 2017 and then, only one page of the report is published. [42] Important statistics are missing, such as state of fish stocks and catches, number of national and foreign fishing vessels, payments made to the State by fishing companies, number of jobs in the sector, number of fishermen and women involved in the industry, amount and beneficiaries of subsidies, etc. Besides, two co-existing official statistical systems publish results that are sometimes contradictory. A complete online register of fishing laws and regulations is missing. This lack of credible and accessible data affects the quality of the public debate on marine fishing. [43]

In terms of fisheries management, new modes of co-management were established in the last years, including consultation frameworks between public authorities and other stakeholders at central and local levels. However, professionals consider these frameworks as not fully functional and call for a multi-stakeholder consultation process where the public sector, the private sector companies and civil society would be represented. [44]

Promisingly, some meetings have already taken place as part of the OGP process. In September 2021, FiTI hosted a workshop, organized with the association Forum Civil and the Ministry of Justice, to raise awareness and share experiences of transparency in fisheries management in Senegal. [45] However, there is a lack of responsiveness from the Ministry in relation to the FiTI file. There was also resistance from fisheries authorities and lobbies involved in granting fishing licenses. Respondents stated that “the appointment of a FiTI Focal Point within the Directorate of Maritime Fisheries has not been able to establish communication with the Authorities as expected.” [46]

Committing to join FiTI demonstrates that the Senegalese government, fishing industry and civil society organizations recognize how greater transparency and inclusiveness will benefit their interests. In the longer term, the government might gain public trust by demonstrating a clear commitment to responsible fisheries, which can in turn improve contracting, trade, and investment. Commercial fishing companies can profit from enhanced reputations and a level playing field, where all companies provide similar information. Small-scale fishers might gain recognition for their contribution to the country’s food security and development, and secure a fair environment to operate. Finally, civil society might improve its understanding of this sector and increase its ability to hold government and companies accountable. [47]

The main milestone of this OGP commitment is that Senegal achieves FiTI membership and, although not explicitly said in the text, but acknowledged by the FiTI regional co-ordinator and the Fisheries Ministry, the commitment sets the path for complying with FiTI standards. [48] Both government and FiTI representatives interviewed consider that joining FiTI is a necessary step to “improve governance and transparency in the fisheries sector, facilitate surveillance and monitoring by governmental and non-governmental stakeholders, contribute to the sustainable management of fisheries, popularize the government’s notable efforts in terms of sustainable fisheries management and support for fishing professionals, reduce social conflicts in the sector and strengthen confidence and cooperation between the various stakeholders in the concerted management of fishery resources, enhance the attractiveness of the sector for donors and investors, support the efforts of the State in the fight against unreported and unregulated fishing and corruption.” [49]

The establishment of a FiTI national multi-stakeholder group (NMSG) promises to increase civic participation in fisheries policymaking. The NMSG would bring together an equal number of representatives from government, companies, and civil society to conduct stakeholder consultations, and draft organizational and operational acts. Therefore, full implementation of this commitment initiates an ongoing process to improve transparency and participation in the marine fisheries sector. In the longer term, Senegal’s accession to FiTI and subsequent compliance with transparency standards promises to significantly increase public access to information in the fishing industry, civic participation, and accountability in a vital economic area.

Opportunities, challenges, and recommendations during implementation

The Ministry of the Fisheries is widely supported by civil society and the private sector in its efforts to apply for FiTI membership. Specifically, the ministry has a strong support from operators “in artisanal and industrial fishing who disagree with the granting of fishing licenses to foreign vessels and the uncontrolled establishment of fishmeal factories”, as well as from civil society organizations, as expressed jointly by the Fisheries Ministry and FiTI representatives. [50]

Fishing professionals have come together in two national coalitions to advocate for more transparency as well as the fulfillment of the Head of State's public commitment to join the FiTI. One coalition brings together most artisanal fishing organizations in Senegal, and the other opposes the granting of new fishing licenses. [51] Forum Civil has been one of the main civil society supporters of transparency in the fisheries sector. At the international level, the Regional Partnership for Coastal and Marine Conservation (PRCM) and the United States Aid Agency (USAID) have shown their commitment to support the FiTI process, technically and financially.

To successfully use the OGP platform in its ongoing efforts to implement FiTI standards, Senegal can look at the Seychelles' commitment on fisheries transparency in its 2019 action plan. The national multi-stakeholder group and the Seychelles' Fishing Authority maintained ongoing communication during the research process for the first FiTI Report. This real-time feedback enabled the government to improve publicly available fisheries information before the report was even finalized. Additionally, members of the NMSG met with members of parliament to discuss the report findings, specifically regarding confidential fishing agreements and availability of data on fish stocks and overfishing. Resultantly, Seychelles' efforts have contributed to decreased use of confidential fishing agreements, greater publicly available fisheries information and improved dialogue among industry stakeholders. [52]

This commitment's inclusion in the action plan is an opportunity to give impulse and secure political and institutional engagement at the highest level for FiTI adhesion. In particular, it presents the opportunity to develop communication channels and trust between the FiTI Focal Point in the Ministry of Fisheries, and potential allies within civil society and the private sector. Aware of the opportunities and challenges, and in line with FiTI and the Ministry of the Fisheries representatives, the IRM specifically recommends the following actions for sound commitment implementation:

[39]“Open Government Partnership joins International Board of FiTI”, FiTI website, 4 October 2021: https://www.fiti.global/open-government-partnership-joins-international-board-of-fiti

Results Report

Commitment 4. Commitment to the Fisheries Transparency Initiative (FiTI)

The main objective under this commitment was for Senegal to join the Fisheries Transparency Initiative, with a view to strengthening the governance of the fisheries sector. In this respect, it was planned to: (i) set up a system for collecting, processing and publishing data concerning the sector and (ii) strengthen dialogue between the various stakeholders in order to improve transparency and the participation of actors in fisheries governance.

Senegal has not made concrete progress towards FiTI membership. The commitment holder, the Head of the Artisanal Fishing Division, states that there is a blockage in the system but could not identify it. He reported that a FiTI action plan was drafted but not financed. The IRM researcher did not receive a copy of the action plan despite requests. Reportedly, a focal point has been appointed and is working to officially anchor the process. [8] As there is no documented evidence of progress, this commitment is assessed as “not started.”

In October 2022, FiTI stated that the “key obstacle in moving Senegal forward remains the pending legal decree for the FiTI, which needs to be issued either by the President of Senegal, the Prime Minister or an appointed senior government official. This decree, seen as essential, would provide a legal framework for the FiTI and appoint the FiTI Lead Ministry within the government. Afterwards, the country must establish its National Multi-Stakeholder Group (comprising of representatives from Senegal’s government, industrial and artisanal fisheries, and civil society organizations), appoint a National Secretariat to provide operational assistance to the group and determine its workplan. All these steps are required before the country can submit its official Candidate Country application to the FiTI International Board.” [9]

The FiTI Regional Co-ordinator for West Africa states the main problem encountered by FiTI was that the Ministry of Fisheries did not provide institutional support for the reform. The Ministry of Justice was reluctant to assume institutional responsibility for the commitment, which is considered to fall within the Ministry of Fisheries’ mandate. The Regional Co-ordinator considers that, like EITI, FiTI should be housed at the Presidency or the Prime Minister's Office to avoid blockages within the fisheries administration. The Minister of Justice could lead high-level advocacy in this direction. [10]

[8] Mr Diouf, Head of the artisanal fishing division, Directorate of Maritime Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, interviewed by the IRM researcher by WhatsApp call on October 31, 2023.

[9] “FiTI International Board urges national authorities in Senegal to complete FiTI sign-up steps.” 2022. https://fiti.global/fiti-international-board-urges-senegal-authorities-to-complete-signupsteps

[10] Mansor Ndour, Regional Co-ordinator for West Africa, Fisheries Transparency Initiative, interviewed by the IRM researcher by email on January 9, 2024.