Posted on September, 16 2003

Durban, South Africa – Senegalese Fisheries Minister Pape Diouf today announced the creation of four marine protected areas in Senegal’s coastal zone, effectively protecting fisheries and biodiversity covering more than 7,500km2. The announcement was made near the close of the 5th World Parks Congress underway in Durban, South Africa. WWF has also recognized this action as a Gift to the Earth — a globally signicant conservation achievement, and an example of environmental leadership which can inspire others. "These marine protected areas will be crucially important for Senegal to preserve the rich biodiversity of our coastal resources and to protect our fisheries, which are being depleted by excessive fishing," said Pape Diouf, Minister of Fisheries for the government of Senegal. "Of course, it will be important to set up strong management and enforcement of these marine protected areas (MPAs) so that we can create additional MPAs in the future." The protected areas include the Saint-Louis Marine Protected Area near the northern border of Mauritania, the Kayar MPA north of Dakar, the Joal-Fadiouth MPA, and the Abene MPA in the coastal waters south of The Gambia. The four MPAs together include habitats such as islands, mangroves, and a marine canyon, as well as open waters and the seafloor. The MPAs will also protect more than 700 fish species and important nesting and feeding areas for five endangered marine turtle species. Another critical factor leading to the establishment of the MPAs was their importance to Senegal’s vital fisheries. Quantities of commercially valuable demersal coastal fish caught in Senegal’s waters have diminished to less than 20 percent compared to the 1950s. Faced with diminishing catches of fish, local communities along Senegal’s coast requested the creation of the MPAs, which led WWF and other partners to launch a collaborative initiative to identify the most suitable sites. The four MPAs, which all share strong public support, include core areas where fish breed and grow, providing valuable insurance against fisheries collapse. "The collapse of Senegal’s fisheries would cause dramatic consequences for the people of Senegal and our economy," said Papa Samba Diouf, Ecoregional Coordinator for WWF’s Western African Marine Ecoregion. "MPAs are one of the best tools to safeguard Senegal’s fisheries for the future of our people and the biodiversity of the West African coastal waters." "The process of creating these MPAs has involved many organizations," continued Minister Diouf. "It’s true that the government defines the policy, but we have involved non-governmental organizations like WWF and IUCN, as well as local communities where these MPAs are located. The local communities are especially important in this process, as they are the ones who live near these sites and they will be involved in the sustainability and management of the MPAs over the long term." For further information: Peter Bryant WWF International Tel: +41 79 477 3560 (Mobile) E-mail:pbryant@wwfint.org