Raid on the Atlantic

The abundance of fish was once a blessing for the people of Senegal. Now, fish stocks have been severely depleted. For decades, fishermen here have been increasingly deprived of their livelihoods. Senegal signed the first bilateral fisheries agreement with the EU in 1979. What was originally intended to benefit both parties has become a nightmare for the Senegalese. First came the Europeans, then the Chinese, Russians and Turks. Using ultra-modern trawlers, they overfish the waters. Illegal fishing is also rampant. The collapse of fish stocks threatens fishermen and their families. But it also puts Senegal’s main food staple, fish, at risk. The film follows local fishermen in West Africa who are forced to watch as their fish stocks are hauled off by large foreign trawlers. In addition to the fishermen, activists and experts are interviewed to shed light on the situation. What is the background, who is responsible, and what are the effects on local and global levels?