Global Fish Crisis | Still Waters, National Geographic Magazine: Fishermen in Senegal Bring their Catch to Freezer Trucks to go to EU

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Senegalese artisanal fishermen working in wooden pirogues must now go farther offshore—even into foreign waters—and stay out longer to fill their nets. The nation’s fleet of small boats, unregulated until recently, hauls in 80 percent of the catch and supplies about 60 percent of the export market. Senegal’s commercial vessels, foreign fleets from Europe and Asia, and pirate fishing boats add to the pressure; the country’s annual harvest declined from 426,000 metric tons in 1997 to 395,000 metric tons in 2004.