The West African Regional Symposium on Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing, organized by the International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF), brought together several institutional and trade union stakeholders in Dakar around a shared concern: the protection of fisheries resources and maritime workers. Speaking at the opening, Mamadou Goudiaby, Chief of Staff to the Minister of Fisheries, emphasized that "the fight against IUU fishing is currently one of the major challenges facing the sector." According to him, "this form of illegal fishing continues to threaten food security, deplete resources, and fuel unfair competition that severely penalizes artisanal fishers." He also stressed that "the exploitation of workers on board vessels operating outside any regulatory framework remains a worrying reality in West Africa."

For his part, Bayla Sow, ITF Deputy Regional Secretary for Africa, reiterated the organization's ongoing commitment to transparent governance of the sector and an active fight against fraudulent practices. "The ITF, which today represents more than 16.5 million transport workers worldwide, operates in various segments: road, rail, maritime, port, and industrial fishing, among others. With its recognized expertise, the federation holds observer status in several UN institutions such as the ILO, ICAO, and IMO," he said. The ITF also used the symposium to reiterate the vision adopted at its last World Congress held in Marseille. Faced with the health, climate, and social crises, the organization is advocating for a new social contract based on equality, fundamental rights, shared economic progress, and peace. “Six major demands underpin this vision, including freedom of association and equality between women and men, migrants and nationals. This momentum is accompanied by a specific project aimed at strengthening African trade unions, promoting decent work, encouraging the ratification of international conventions such as Convention 180, and highlighting the ILO Centenary Declaration.” Participants also paid tribute to maritime workers, whose conditions are often precarious and marked by high risks. They reiterated the need to ensure safety, decent wages, and the sustainable management of fisheries resources.

Alongside the challenges, progress has been made by Senegal in terms of sector governance. Several stakeholders welcomed the recent publication of the list of fishing licenses for 2024 and 2025, a reform considered a major step forward in transparency. "For a long time, the lack of transparency surrounding the allocation of these licenses had been denounced as a factor facilitating illegal fishing." This new approach, according to the ITF, helps to reduce ambiguities, restore stakeholder confidence, and strengthen the country's capacity to effectively combat IUU fishing.