Case 3-14 Setting the date of lifting the ban to determine the added value of fishery products: case of shrimp fishing in Fatick region

Fatick region, shrimp fishery, value-added, shrimp fishery regulatory ordinance, shrimp fishery permit

In the Fatick region of Senegal, an order regulating shrimp fishing has been in force since the 1990s. It sets the annual opening and closing dates for shrimp fishing. The peak season is from September to December, with a peak in October. This is because in this region, which is located in the savannah climate zone with little rainfall, shrimp grow larger as rainfall increases and the salinity of the habitat decreases, and the high-value jumbo shrimp catch becomes peak season. The timing of the shrimp fishery is therefore an important factor in the production of high-value jumbo shrimp. This case study focuses on its activities.

The regional order on the regulation of shrimp in Fatick, dated 30 August 1995, provides for the following:

(1) The Governor of the Fatick Region decides on the opening and closing dates of the shrimp fishery each year based on a proposal from the Director of the Regional Directorate of Maritime Fisheries.

(2) Shrimp are fished experimentally in specific fishing grounds and the results are used to determine the opening date.

(3) To fish for shrimp, it is necessary to apply for a license and obtain a fisherman’s registration card.

(4) The use of nets with a mesh size of less than 13 mm is prohibited.

(5) It is prohibited to catch and sell small shrimp (more than 200 shrimps per kg).

(6) Any violation of this order is punishable by a fine or imprisonment.

(7) In the event of a repeat offense, the shrimp fishing license will be cancelled.

When a test fishery was conducted to set the 2001 ban date, only 58% of the shrimp were larger than the prescribed size. However, the fishermen who were responsible for the test operation continued to catch shrimp after providing samples, and the shrimp caught in the test operation reached 14 metric tons. Fishermen in the surrounding area saw the situation and began catching shrimp the day after the test operation, and the ban on shrimp fishing was lifted without warning.

When the experimental fishery was conducted to set the opening date in 2001, only 58% of the shrimp were larger than the prescribed size. However, the fishers responsible for the experimental operation continued to catch shrimp after the samples were provided, and the total amount of shrimp caught in the experimental operation reached 14 metric tons. Observing this, fishers in the vicinity also started to catch shrimp the day after the experimental operation, and the ban on shrimp fishing was de facto lifted. Although it is an experimental operation, once it has started, it is not easy to stop. To produce and ship higher value-added shrimp, it is important to set the date for lifting the ban on shrimp fishing each year. Even with test operations to monitor shrimp growth, stakeholders realized that once operations began, it was not easy to stop them. This case study demonstrates the importance of carefully considering and implementing procedures in resource management activities.

Chapter 3 Implementation of resource management measures

3.2 Measures to strengthen the sustainability of resource management

Adding value to a small catch and selling it at a higher price can reduce the load on fishery resources while maintaining and improving the livelihood of fishermen. Value-adding of fishery products is an important requirement that enables stabilisation of fishery management even when the catch is limited for sustainable resource management.

When setting a closed season for shrimp, it is possible to both limit fishing effort and add value to fishery resources by understanding the current situation where the unit price of landings changes according to the setting of the ban, ensuring the sustainability of resources, and then lifting the ban after determining the time when the commercial value of fishery resources is high.

In resource management activities targeting fisheries that set an annual fishing season and a lifting date, the lifting date may be an important requirement to determine the added value of the target stock. This case is an effective reference for resource management activities under such conditions.