The Deadly Route to Europe

How illegal fishing and overfishing in Senegal is driving migration

From the Environmental Justice Foundation

This is Joal-Fadiouth, a small town in the South of Senegal, which has the largest fishing harbour in the country. 

The main source of income for the residents of Joal-Fadiouth is fishing.

Papa Sady has been fishing in Joal-Fadiouth since 1985. 

He told the Environmental Justice Foundation, “In the past, our work was very good, but at this very moment, we go fishing but we cannot catch fish. It causes so many difficulties, because the sea is my only hope to provide for my family … You send a lot of money to fish, but you catch nothing.

I would go as far as to say the sea is almost destroyed.”

Small-scale fisheries play a key role in Senegal's economy.

However, Senegalese fisheries are under threat, with many fish populations at the point of collapse. This is due to overfishing and the use of detrimental fishing techniques such as bottom trawling, with foreign-owned fleets, largely from EU and China, perpetrating much of this harm. 

According to a 2014 assessment, the  industrial coastal demersal fleet has been operating at over 50% overcapacity. Moreover, the Environmental Justice Foundation analysed licensed vessels up to 2024 and discovered that almost half of them were foreign-controlled.

For the next generation of fishers in Joal-Fadiouth, there is nothing left for them: no fish, no income, no choices.

This is Abdoulaye Sady, the son of Pape Sady. 

He is 26 years old and worked in fisheries in Joal-Fadiouth. Abdou told EJF, “the sea is our everything. As fishers, it is our heritage.”

In 2021, Abdou decided to make the journey along the migrant route from Joal-Fadiouth to the Canary Islands, the Spanish-owned archipelago, where migrants can claim asylum.

Over 200 people were on board, but only around 185 made it. Around 15 people died of hunger. Abdou said he nearly died of hunger too, but he was used to going without food because of fishing trips.

In Senegal, unemployment rose from an average of 16% in 2016-2019 to 22.3% in 2020 - 2024. Amongst Senegalese youth, this skyrocketed to 32.5%. Research shows that more and more young men from fishing communities are choosing to migrate as a last resort.

What is known as the ‘West Africa’ route is considered to be the most dangerous in the world. The route can be between 1000km and 2000km and can be around 10 times the length of other migrant routes crossing the Mediterranean.

In 2024, although overall irregular migration globally decreased, the number of migrants forced to take the West Africa route to the Canary Islands increased by 18%, with almost 47,000 arrivals. This points to the severity of the economic despair felt by young migrants like Abdou.

In 2023, over 3000 people departing from Senegal alone lost their lives making this journey. 

In Tenerife, Abdou has built a community - a family - from the neighbours and new friends who also successfully made this journey. Many of them shared their stories with EJF.

“The government made the decision to sell the sea and we made the decision to go away by the sea.” Abdou Rakhmane Sow, migrant and former fisher

“Life is not about eating and drinking. Every worker [wishes to] gain something, to start a family, to build a house.” Michael Sene, migrant and former fisher

“The reason why I left Senegal for Europe is that I have no hope there. We used to go working and take care of our needs, and suddenly we could no longer…” Ibrahima Drame, migrant and former fisher

“This critical sector, which forms the socio-economic backbone of Senegal’s coastal communities, is in crisis. Small-scale fishers face overwhelming competition from industrial vessels, leading to deteriorating living conditions, diminished food security, and lost livelihoods. The consequences are far-reaching, contributing to a troubling increase in migrant deaths at sea. The European authorities can and must end this now, and return Senegal’s fisheries to the people of Senegal." Steve Trent, CEO and Founder of the Environmental Justice Foundation

Recommendations from EJF to end this crisis and to restore Senegal's fisheries include:

The Senegalese government must prioritise restoring fish populations in its waters, alongside adopting the Global Charter for Fisheries Transparency.

Industrial fishing vessels should be closely monitored to ensure they are fishing legally, in clearly defined areas. The waters reserved for small-scale fishing communities, which they have depended on for generations, must be respected.

The European Union should strengthen its partnership with Africa to address the root causes and key drivers of irregular migration.

The Environmental Justice Foundation's new report, 'The Deadly Route to Europe', can be found here. The film, 'Adrift' can be found here.

Our work to secure environmental justice aims to protect our global climate, ocean, forests, wetlands, wildlife and defend the fundamental human right to a secure natural environment, recognising that all other rights are contingent on this. EJF works internationally to inform policy and drive systemic, durable reforms to protect our environment and defend human rights. We investigate and expose abuses and support environmental defenders, Indigenous peoples, communities, and independent journalists on the frontlines of environmental injustice. Our campaigns aim to secure peaceful, equitable and sustainable futures. Our investigators, researchers, filmmakers, and campaigners work with grassroots partners and environmental defenders across the globe. For more information, please contact media@ejfoundation.org.

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