Case 2-13 Inclusion of migrant fishermen through the initiative of fishermen leaders: case of Lompoul, Grande-Côte
| Key words | Migrant fishermen, drift net fishing, bottom gillnet fishing, inter-fishermen disputes, CLPA, nighttime ban, surveillance activities |
| Context | In the waters of Lompoul, located between Saint-Louis and Fas Boye on Grande-Côte, drift nets operated at night by migrant fishermen from Saint-Louis and Fas Boye sometimes snag the buoy lines of bottom gill nets set by local fishermen, and the migrant fishermen cut the bottom gill nets at night. In 2020, a dispute erupted between the local and migrant fishermen. Young local fishermen in Lompoul confiscated the drift nets of the migrant fishermen from Fas Boye and Saint-Louis. What did the fishermen leaders of Lompoul do to resolve the conflict? |
| Content | In early 2021, CLPA Lompoul fishermen leaders visited Saint-Louis and Fas Boye, and invited fishermen leaders from both locations to Lompoul to discuss the migrant fishermen’s operation of drift nets in the Lompoul waters. Subsequently, an agreement was reached to prohibit the nighttime operation of driftnet fishing during the period between 15 June and 15 July 2021, the peak fishing season for bottom gillnet fishing; this agreement was enacted as a Louga regional ordinance. During the period above, drift net fishing was prohibited from 8:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. the following morning in all waters of Luga Oblast, including the Lompoul foreshore. Based on the experience of reducing conflicts between local fishermen and migratory fishermen during the first nighttime ban in the Louga waters, CLPA Lompoul indicated its intention to extend the nighttime ban to three months in 2022. The Louga region has CLPA Lompoul and CLPA Potou. In April 2022, the two CLPAs held a conference to determine what to do to address the issues above. They considered having a Louga region ordinance enacted. However, even if such ordinance were made, it would not be effective without the consent of the migrant fishermen from Saint-Louis and Fas Boye. Therefore, fishermen leaders from CLPA Lompoul visited Saint-Louis to discuss the nighttime operation ban, and CLPA Saint-Louis learned from the experience of the 2021 nighttime operation ban in the Louga region not only the effect of conflict prevention, where the number of conflict cases was reduced from 20 in 2020 to 5 in 2021, but also the effect of drift net operation. The fishermen felt that the drift-net operation helped to conserve resources by reducing the fishing effort of the target floating fish stocks, and they expressed an intention to continue to cooperate with the drift-net operation in 2022. A 45-day nighttime operation ban from 25 May to 7 July 2022 was enacted as a Louga regional ordinance. This enactment was done with the cooperation of the fishermen of Saint-Louis. Moreover, awareness-raising activities were conducted for women seafood processors. A WhatsApp group of the fishermen took up awareness-raising activities and shared related information. The WhatsApp group was effective in sharing information not only within the Lompoul area, but also from Saint-Louis to Fasboi, as the group members were spread widely. During the 45-day nighttime operation ban, seven members of the CLPA Lompoul monitoring committee conducted nine maritime patrols and captured three driftnet fishing vessels. All the captured vessels were from Saint-Louis. When the CLPA members approached the illegal vessels and questioned their crew members, all the crew members replied that they were unaware that it was a nighttime operation ban period. Patrol vessels confiscated the catch of the illegal vessels and imposed fines as required by state ordinance. In 2023, a similar 45-day nighttime ban was enacted as a Louga bylaw. |
| Lessons Learned | Importance of legislation and dialogue with migrant fishermen: To include migrant fishermen from neighbouring areas in the resource management activities in a given area, it is important to first involve migrant fishermen as stakeholders in planning the resource management activities. In the monitoring and surveillance of the resource management activities set through such process, it is necessary to clearly indicate where the authority for patrol lies. Thus, the ‘legalization of resource management activities’ as indicated in this case is essential. Importance of dialogue among CLPAs: When problems arise among fishermen in Saint-Louis and other regions, the relevant CLPAs play a major role in resolving them. Previously, fishermen had communicated directly with each other, but the establishment of the CLPA has made it possible for them to resolve disputes through CLPAs. For CLPAs to keep playing a role in preventing and resolving conflicts, such as those pertaining to migrant fishermen, communication and awareness-raising activities among CLPAs are important. |
| Guideline chapter relevant to this case study | Chapter 2 Establishing and strengthening the resource management implementation system (3) Select leaders of resource management activities among migrant fishermen If the activities of migrant fishermen from outside the region are a disincentive to managing fisheries resources in the local waters, what specific actions can be taken to avoid conflicts between local fishermen and migrant fishermen and advance the envisioned fisheries resource management activities? |
| Situation to which this case study could refer | To involve migrant fishermen in resource management activities, it is important to design such activities in a participatory manner that includes the fishermen. In this case, fishermen leaders from CLPA Lompoul negotiate with fishermen leaders from the neighbouring CLPA, where migrant fishermen operating in Lompoul waters come from, to obtain an agreement to implement a ban on nighttime operations and legislate the ban, thereby gaining the authority to make policing activities legal and feasible. |