Finalize Joining the Fisheries Transparency Initiative (SN0016)

Description of the commitment

What public issue does the engagement address? Fishing is a strategic sector for the national economy and food security. But it remains faced with a certain number of challenges linked in particular to the scarcity of resources and the accessibility to certain data for the public.

What are the objectives of the engagement The main objective is to have Senegal join the FITI, with a view to strengthening the governance of the sector. As such, it will be: • set up a system for collecting, processing and publishing data concerning the sector; • strengthen dialogue between the different stakeholders in order to improve transparency and stakeholder participation in the governance of the sector.

How would engagement help solve the public problem? The commitment will allow Senegal:  to support the State's efforts in the fight against undeclared and unregulated illegal fishing by preserving jobs in the sector;  improve governance, in particular the transparency and quality of the decisionmaking process in the fisheries sector;  to strengthen its leadership in the governance of the fishing sector;  contribute to the sustainable management of fisheries, in particular by reducing the State's economic losses linked to nontransparency;  to strengthen the attractiveness of the sector for landlords and investors.

Why is this commitment relevant to the values of the OGP? The commitment promotes access to information, transparency, participation and accountability in the fisheries sector.

Additional information

 Commitment of the President of the Republic in 2016 for Senegal's membership in the FITI;  Adherence of professionals and civil society to the principles of the 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 technically and financially support the process; Existence of a road map for Senegal.

Important actions with a verifiable deliverable | Starting - Closing | Estimated budget | Responsible

1. Advocacy to complete the remaining steps to FITI membership | January 2024 - June 2024 | 10,000, 000 | Steering National Commitee

2. Advocate for the adoption of texts relating to the implementation of the FITI | July 2024 - December 2024 | 10,000, 000 | DPM

3. Establish the MultiStakeholder Group (GMP) and the FITI national secretariat (produce the acts, validate the TDR) | July 2024 - December 2024 | 15, 000,000 | DPM

4. Officially install the National Multi-Stakeholder Group | July 2024 - December 2024 | 15, 000,000 | Authority

5. Establish an action plan | Juillet 2024 - Décembre 2025 | 20 000 000 | GMP

6. Develop and transmit Senegal’s membership application to the FITI Board of Directors | Juillet 2024 - Décembre 2024 | No charge | Authority

Action Plan Review

Commitment 4: Join the Fisheries Transparency Initiative [Ministry of Fisheries and Maritime Economy /Directorate of Maritime Fisheries]

For a complete description of the commitment, see commitment 4 in https://www.opengovpartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Senegal_Action-Plan_2023-2025_December_EN.pdf.

Context and objectives

Senegal is one of the leading maritime fishing countries in inter-tropical Africa. Fishing plays an important role in ensuring food security, creating income and jobs, and boosting competitiveness. In 2019, the commercial value of fisheries landings amounted to CFA 274 billion (1.5% of GDP). [51] Currently, the fishing industry faces mounting challenges such as climate change, pollution, and overexploitation, with specialists highlighting transparency as a main problem in the industry. [52] The national fishermen's union has expressed concern regarding the government’s granting of fishing licenses to European Union vessels, which are subsidized up to 60% by their countries, as creating unfair competition. Chinese fishing boats also sublet permits or licenses to operate from Senegalese citizens. [53]

In 2016, then-President Macky Sall pledged to join the global Fisheries Transparency Initiative (FiTI), a voluntary global initiative that helps coastal countries engage in responsible and sustainable fishing by strengthening transparency and multistakeholder collaboration. [54] Despite inclusion in Senegal’s previous action plan, accession to FiTI stalled as it was not a priority for the Minister of Fisheries under the former administration. [55] In August 2024, FiTI delisted Senegal as a ‘committed country’ due to the failure of meeting the deadlines to appoint a FiTI lead ministry and national lead as well as the submission of candidate country application. [56]

By renewing this commitment, Senegal aims to complete the process of joining FiTI and thus strengthen governance in the sector. Milestones include advocacy to complete the remaining stages towards FiTI membership, adoption of texts relating to FiTI implementation, setting up of a multipartite group and FiTI National Secretariat, and submission of Senegal's membership application to the FiTI Board of Directors. Due to Senegal being delisted as a committed country by the FiTI Secretariat, the government will now need to issue a renewed public commitment to restart the FiTI ascension process. [57]

Potential for results: Modest

Senegalese and international organizations have consistently called for greater transparency as a tool to fight overfishing in Senegal’s waters. These demands have included the publication of the list of industrial fishing vessels authorized to fish in the country's exclusive economic zone. [58] Advocates have also highlighted a lack of public data on the number of industrial vessels with licenses, the state of fish stocks and catches, the number of domestic and foreign fishing vessels, payments made to the state by fishing companies, the number of jobs in the sector, the number of fishermen and women involved in the industry, the amount and beneficiaries of subsidies, et cetera. Senegal's FiTI membership could strengthen its position as a regional leader and its commitment to the sustainable and transparent management of natural resources as well as consolidate the confidence of citizens and stakeholders in the fishing industry. [59]

This commitment aligns with President Faye’s government priorities, who has pledged to restore Senegalese food sovereignty and strengthen government transparency and accountability after winning the March 2024 election. [60] The new administration has renegotiated fishing agreements with the European Union, began addressing foreign vessels fishing under Senegalese flag, and commenced an audit of the sector. [61] The government has taken early steps towards better transparency after the newly appointed Minister of Fisheries, Maritime, and Port Infrastructures published a list of vessels authorized to fish in waters under Senegalese jurisdiction in May 2024. [62] In total, 132 industrial vessels flying the Senegalese flag, 19 foreign vessels (from the European Union), and over 17,400 artisanal pirogues are now officially authorized to fish in national waters. [63] The publication of this list received widespread support from civil society and non-governmental organizations. Reformers highlight its use to fight against illegal fishing by providing a basis for monitoring. [64] Greenpeace Afrique welcomed the publication and further suggested auditing the use of the Senegalese flag and progressing towards joining FiTI. [65]

Government and civil society actors expressed confidence in the ministry’s commitment to join FiTI. The civil society co-chair for OGP in Senegal notes that the new minister participated in the co-creation of the second OGP action plan and is committed to implementing this commitment. [66] The Head of the Local Fisheries Governance Office in the Ministry of Fisheries expressed satisfaction with the milestones set out in the action plan, which are in line with the FiTI membership procedure. He stated that the new minister would need time to settle in before continuing the process, while confirming his hope that the process would be completed. [67] The FiTI Regional Coordinator was optimistic given the commitment of the highest authorities to transparency in the public sector. In particular, the publication of the list of fishing vessels sent a strong signal especially recalling that professional associations and civil society had long requested the publication of this list without success previously. [68]

On 5 July 2024, the FiTI board informed the Government of Senegal of the need to appoint a FiTI lead ministry and a FiTI national lead by 31 July 2024. The board also required the government to submit its candidate country application by 31 December 2024 noting that Senegal was delisted in August 2024 for missing the 31 July 2024 deadline. The civil society OGP co-chair stated that Senegal missed the deadline due to interministerial miscommunication amid transitions of the new administration following the election. They noted the intention of reformers to relaunch the process and identify who should lead FiTI efforts within government. Furthermore, the co-chair expressed hope that the setback provides an opportunity to restart a stalled process with a renewed commitment under the current government. [69] To resume its engagement in FiTI, the government will need to renew its public commitment to join as a member. [70]

The creation of a FiTI multiparty group under this commitment promises to increase civic participation in fisheries policymaking. The group would bring together an equal number of representatives from government, business, and civil society to consult with stakeholders and draft organizational and operational acts. Consequently, the full implementation of this commitment initiates an ongoing process to improve transparency and participation in the fisheries sector. In the longer term, Senegal's adherence to FiTI and subsequent compliance with transparency standards promise to increase public access to information in the fisheries sector, civic participation, and accountability in a vital economic field.

Opportunities, challenges, and recommendations during implementation

Despite setbacks, political and financial support for Senegal’s membership in FiTI remains strong. The President of Senegal ran a campaign that promised a “charter for sustainable fisheries” [71] drawn up by the National Coalition for Sustainable Fisheries, with joining FiTI is one of the charter's commitments. Financing opportunities through the Natural Resources Management Project, funded by FiTI, the World Bank, and the Blue Venture advocacy project, presents an added benefit of joining FiTI not only for Senegal, but also other countries such as the Gambia and Cameroon. [72]

Formal designation of a lead ministry and implementer will be vital to achieve progress. The Maritime Fisheries Directorate of the Ministry of Fisheries and Maritime Economy was responsible for implementing the previous commitment. However, the lack of a formal decree designating their role as implementer proved to be an obstacle to implementation. [73] A representative from the Fisheries Ministry states that an act must designate the ministry as the commitment holder among other measures to facilitate FiTI membership. [74] The commitment’s renewal is an opportunity to clarify the role of all stakeholders in an inclusive process, where the government can formally designate the ministerial lead and create avenues for civil society to engage.

Senegal can draw inspiration from the Seychelles' commitment to fisheries transparency in its 2019 action plan. The national multistakeholder group and the Seychelles’ fisheries authority maintained ongoing communication during the research process for the first FiTI report. [75] It can also draw on the experience of Mauritania, which became the first West African country to join FiTI in 2018. In the application process, Mauritania’s multiparty group published all key FiTI documents on ministerial websites. The successful completion of these accession requirements laid a solid foundation for Mauritania to embark on the next stages of the FiTI process. [76]

Based on these challenges and opportunities, the IRM recommends the following actions: