{"id":56078,"date":"2022-10-14T14:49:46","date_gmt":"2022-10-14T12:49:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/international\/?p=56078"},"modified":"2025-07-02T09:37:18","modified_gmt":"2025-07-02T07:37:18","slug":"fish-oil-fishmeal-factory-senegal-lawsuit-food-jobs-pollution","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/international\/story\/56078\/fish-oil-fishmeal-factory-senegal-lawsuit-food-jobs-pollution\/","title":{"rendered":"Ana Sama J\u00ebn &#8211; Where is my Fish?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>UPDATE: January 20, 2023 \u2013 The municipality of Cayar has banned the discharge of wastewater into a local lake and its surroundings, in a major win for a local community campaign against a nearby fishmeal factory and its polluting practices. The Taxawu Cayar Collective welcomed the decision as a step forward that will protect the community and the local environment, and used this campaign breakthrough to launch a new phase in its litigation against the factory.<\/p>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button aligncenter is-style-cta\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/africa\/en\/press\/53019\/cayar-community-launches-new-phase-of-legal-challenge-against-polluting-fishmeal-factory-after-major-campaign-breakthrough\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Read Greenpeace Africa\u2019s&nbsp;statement on this major campaign breakthrough<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>UPDATE: November 04, 2022 A judge dismissed the request by Al\u00e9&#8217;s community to temporarily shut the factory that was dumping effluent into their lake. But the people are going to carry on the fight. Here is a message from the community leaders &#8220;We will keep pursuing all possible legal options&#8221;<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"fr\" dir=\"ltr\">Un juge a rejet\u00e9 une demande de la communaut\u00e9 d&#39;Al\u00e9 de temporairement fermer l&#39;usine qui d\u00e9versait des effluents dans leur lac.  Mais ils vont continuer \u00e0 se battre.<br><br>Allez-vous les soutenir ? \ud83d\udc49\ud83d\udc49 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/HPCGFJ8kX9\">https:\/\/t.co\/HPCGFJ8kX9<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/kxuP9t5qJP\">pic.twitter.com\/kxuP9t5qJP<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Greenpeace Afrique (@GreenpeaceAfrik) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/GreenpeaceAfrik\/status\/1588433395671273472?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">November 4, 2022<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<p>The fishmeal and fish oil industry is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/international\/press-release\/49886\/greenpeace-intercepts-fish-oil-tanker-as-dramatic-industry-expansion-threatens-livelihoods-in-west-africa\/\">destroying West Africa\u2019s environment and ruining communities<\/a>. \u2063But the people of Cayar have now filed a legal case against the owners of a fishmeal factory, TPM (formerly Barna Senegal), that&#8217;s polluting their water and threatening their jobs and access to food. The community wants it shut down. If they win this lawsuit, it will temporarily close the factory. And then the community plans to stop the factory for good.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-international-stateless\/2022\/10\/15553a73-gp0stt31g-1024x682.jpg\" title=\"Local People with Fish in Bargny.\" alt=\"Local People with Fish in Bargny.\" class=\"wp-image-56079\" width=\"736\" height=\"490\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-international-stateless\/2022\/10\/15553a73-gp0stt31g-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-international-stateless\/2022\/10\/15553a73-gp0stt31g-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-international-stateless\/2022\/10\/15553a73-gp0stt31g-768x511.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-international-stateless\/2022\/10\/15553a73-gp0stt31g-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-international-stateless\/2022\/10\/15553a73-gp0stt31g.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 736px) 100vw, 736px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fishing communities are raising their voice with Greenpeace Africa to protect local livelihoods and environment that are increasingly under threat from industrial fishmeal factories.<div class=\"credit icon-left\"> \u00a9 Cl\u00e9ment \u00a0Tardif \/ Greenpeace<\/div><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<p>Every year, more than half a million tonnes of fish are caught from West African waters to be processed as fish meal and fish oil to feed farmed fish, livestock and pets in Asia and Europe <a href=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-africa-stateless\/2021\/05\/47227297-feeding-a-monster-en-final-small.pdf\">as reported<\/a> by Greenpeace Africa and Changing Markets. This amount of fish would be enough to feed 33 million people in a region subject to significant food insecurity and where fish prices have rocketed in many areas as fish populations plunge.<\/p>\n<div class=\"EmptyMessage\">Block content is empty. Check the block&#8217;s settings or remove it.<\/div>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">We&#8217;ll see you in court!<\/h3>\n\n<p>On 6 October 2022, in a historic legal action the High Court of Thi\u00e8s was shown shocking <a href=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/international\/press-release\/55992\/fishmeal-factory-pollutes-environment-and-illegally-dumps-waste-in-local-lake\/\">laboratory evidence of toxic metals<\/a> in drinking water from the town. The plaintiffs revealed video documentation of the factory\u2019s truck illegally dumping waste in the lake, which is connected to the same groundwater and how the factory&#8217;s management and its owners have repeatedly broken Senegal&#8217;s environmental laws. The court adjourned until 3 November, when a judgment is expected.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Unbelievable! \ud83e\udd2e The people of Senegal won\u2019t back down. <br><br>Support them \ud83d\udc49\ud83d\udc49 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/DFqEDnD7Mk\">https:\/\/t.co\/DFqEDnD7Mk<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/pimmmOV6Gv\">pic.twitter.com\/pimmmOV6Gv<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Greenpeace Africa (@Greenpeaceafric) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Greenpeaceafric\/status\/1578354636591071232?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">October 7, 2022<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<p>Fish processors &#8211; mostly women &#8211; and fishermen have been fighting back for years against the fishmeal factories and the trawlers that supply them. They&#8217;ve been protesting and lobbying &#8211; but this case is a massive escalation in that struggle. The idea of one town taking a big company to court has really captured the attention of Senegal, and fishing communities are really hoping that this could be a landmark moment for them. The more of us who add our voices to theirs, the more big business and the politicians will have to listen. The people in power are scared of their wrongdoing being exposed.<\/p>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Factories are stealing our fish<\/h3>\n\n<p>\u201cMost of us fish processors are women. In a cabin beside the wide beach, we gut the fish and clean them, before they are laid out in the sun, where they are salted and smoked. Huge areas are sometimes covered in thousands of neatly arranged fish, spread out over the sand or on stalls. It\u2019s tiring work but it\u2019s honest. But miles out to sea, industrial trawlers are now competing with the piroques for fish, and on the coast, many factories have appeared to grind the fish that should be ours into fishmeal and oil. The factories will eventually steal the last of our fish,\u201d says Fatou Samba, President of Women Fish Processors, in an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/international\/story\/52518\/6-african-women-shaping-the-climate-conversation\/\">earlier interview <\/a>with Greenpeace Africa.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-international-stateless\/2022\/10\/f8133ca1-gp0stt31j-1024x682.jpg\" title=\"Local People in Bargny.\" alt=\"Local People in Bargny.\" class=\"wp-image-56080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-international-stateless\/2022\/10\/f8133ca1-gp0stt31j-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-international-stateless\/2022\/10\/f8133ca1-gp0stt31j-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-international-stateless\/2022\/10\/f8133ca1-gp0stt31j-768x511.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-international-stateless\/2022\/10\/f8133ca1-gp0stt31j-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-international-stateless\/2022\/10\/f8133ca1-gp0stt31j.jpg 1199w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Women who used to live comfortably by covering their children\u2019s tuition fees, food and health expenses now lack financial means to ensure them a bright future, as a result of income loss due to unfair trade by fishmeal factories.<div class=\"credit icon-left\"> \u00a9 Cl\u00e9ment \u00a0Tardif \/ Greenpeace<\/div><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<p>Maitre Bathily, the Collective\u2019s lawyer, said: \u201cThe factory has repeatedly broken our country\u2019s environmental law \u2013 and here is independent evidence showing the terrible impact that their callous behaviour is having. We can only conclude that the factory has lied to the court, to the media and most shockingly to the people of Cayar and of Senegal.\u201d<\/p>\n\n<p>All\u00e9 Sy, Spokesperson of the Taxawu Cayar Collective, said: \u201cHere is the proof: the factory\u2019s ownership has been breaking the law, polluting our water and callously putting us and our children in danger. And they\u2019re doing it just so they can make a little more profit from the business of ravaging Senegal\u2019s fish stocks. It is despicable. The people of Cayar cannot wait to see them shut down.\u201d<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">\ud83d\udea8EXPOSED: The fishmeal and fish oil industry is destroying West Africa\u2019s environment and ruining communities. <br><br>But the people of Cayar are fighting back. <br><br>Show your support for their legal challenge: <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/XJpjhRjt9F\">https:\/\/t.co\/XJpjhRjt9F<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/ON1QmAqQVn\">pic.twitter.com\/ON1QmAqQVn<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Greenpeace Africa (@Greenpeaceafric) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Greenpeaceafric\/status\/1578318241910648833?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">October 7, 2022<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">People of Cayar are fighting back<\/h3>\n\n<p>\u201cThis is how the global fishmeal and fish oil industry works,&#8221; says Dr Aliou Ba, Greenpeace Africa\u2019s Senior Oceans Campaigner. &#8220;They steal our fish, they take away our jobs, they make fish unaffordable here, and they even poison our environment. The cash from this evil enterprise goes to big corporations, and who pays the price? It\u2019s the people of West Africa. But no more. The people of Cayar are fighting back.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"EmptyMessage\">Block content is empty. Check the block&#8217;s settings or remove it.<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Fish processors &#8211; mostly women &#8211; and fishermen have been fighting back for years against the fishmeal factories and the trawlers that supply them. They&#8217;ve been protesting and lobbying &#8211; but this case is a massive escalation in that struggle. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":164,"featured_media":56079,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_planet4_optimize_post_is_variant":false,"_planet4_optimize_experiment_name":"","_planet4_optimize_variant_name":"","ep_exclude_from_search":false,"p4_og_title":"Ana Sama J\u00ebn - Where is my Fish?","p4_og_description":"","p4_og_image":"","p4_og_image_id":"","p4_seo_canonical_url":"","p4_campaign_name":"not set","p4_local_project":"not set","p4_basket_name":"not set","p4_department":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[73],"tags":[],"p4-page-type":[59],"class_list":["post-56078","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-social-and-economic-systems","p4-page-type-story"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/international\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56078","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/international\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/international\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/international\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/164"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/international\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=56078"}],"version-history":[{"count":20,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/international\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56078\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":76647,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/international\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56078\/revisions\/76647"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/international\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/56079"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/international\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=56078"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/international\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=56078"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/international\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=56078"},{"taxonomy":"p4-page-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/international\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/p4-page-type?post=56078"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}