Local fisherman, such as those pictured here at a fish landing site at Joal Fadiouth, Senegal, supply fishmeal factories with fresh fish straight off the boat.
Credit: Ricci Shryock
The investigative media outlets Follow the Money and DeSmog have published a study warning that the growing demand from fishmeal factories may threaten the supply of fresh fish in Senegal's local markets.
As DeSmog explains, traditionally, the daily catch in Dakar was sold directly on the beach before being offered at the local market. Fishermen are now being drawn to fishmeal factories, which produce feed for aquaculture.
Specifically, the study reveals that sardines from Senegal are being used to feed sea bass — labeled as sustainably farmed — which are sold in Dutch supermarkets.
The investigative team conducted this analysis using trade data and on-the-ground reporting. The fish used to produce feed in Senegal have been traced to Albert Heijn, the largest supermarket chain in the Netherlands.
"Local Senegalese processors and traders are being outcompeted by fishmeal factories in the battle for small pelagic fish," assured Professor Achim Schlüter of the Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research.
According to DeSmog, as early as 2022, the FAO warned that, due to the growing demand for fishmeal, many factories were no longer using slaughterhouse by-products for its production. Instead, they were purchasing fresh fish.
Likewise, it refers to a 2023 report denouncing the increasing use of fresh fish in Senegal and the resulting loss of income among the local population, as well as the rise in product prices.
On the other hand, organizations such as the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) seek to mitigate these issues by establishing requirements for farms to use feed sourced from certified factories.