Oversight gaps in Senegal flagged as shark finning slips through port controls

Oversight gaps in Senegal are allowing illegal shark finning to pass through port controls at Dakar, according to a new investigation by the Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF).

Based on interviews with 124 fishers who worked on Chinese- and Taiwanese-owned tuna longliners between 2020 and 2026, the report found most had witnessed shark finning, or the illegal removal of fins at sea.

EJF linked the accounts to dozens of vessels operating through Dakar, a key hub for distant-water fleets in the Atlantic.

In total, 47 fishers across 24 vessels said fins were landed in Dakar, either directly or via transshipment. Crew described efforts to avoid detection, including hiding fins onboard, dumping evidence before inspections and unloading at night.

The findings raise concerns over the enforcement of the Port State Measures Agreement, which Senegal has signed but which fishers said was rarely applied to shark fin landings.

“When fishing vessels can land products without effective scrutiny, illegal shark finning becomes easier to hide and harder to stop,” said Steve Trent, CEO of EJF.

The NGO warned that tuna passing through Dakar feeds global supply chains, with exports reaching markets including the EU, the US and Japan, raising the risk that products linked to illegal practices are entering international trade.

EJF called for stronger inspections, a “fins naturally attached” policy and wider adoption of the Global Charter for Fisheries Transparency.