Fisheries enforcement authorities in Senegal and Mauritania have stepped up joint patrols targeting vessels fishing without valid licences in coastal waters shared between the two countries, an area that has long faced pressure from both artisanal and industrial fishing fleets.
Officials say the joint approach allows patrol vessels to pursue infractions across the maritime boundary more effectively than either country acting alone, and has already resulted in several detentions of vessels found without proper documentation.
Coastal fishing communities in both countries have welcomed the increased enforcement, saying unlicensed fishing has put pressure on stocks that local fleets depend on.