fishermen pushed into exodus

In the waters of Thiaroye, a port in the suburbs of Dakar (Senegal), many canoes are empty, abandoned by fishermen. In fact, for several years, fish have become increasingly rare in this area. The cause is illegal trawlers from abroad who siphon off areas reserved for artisanal fishing without authorization, leaving almost nothing for local fishermen.

An exodus to Spain

So, more and more of them are making the decision to leave and try to reach Spain. “If I had the slightest hope of making a living from fishing, I would not have tried to reach Spain by canoe even though it is a huge risk”, says Ababacar Diop, a traditional Senegalese fisherman who tried to reach Europe before being stopped by the coast guard. Senegal faces a massive wave of departures. The Senegalese navy says it has intercepted more than 8,500 migrants since the start of the year. The elders see it on a daily basis, the new generation wants to escape this life of poverty.