![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/logo-euronews-grey-6-180x22.svg.svg+xml\"){kind=logo}
ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\nADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n
Two environmental NGOs, ClientEarth and Oceana, have filed a lawsuit against the Spanish government, alleging failures to investigate and sanction Spanish-flagged vessels suspected of illegal fishing in West African waters.<\/p>\n
The lawsuit, filed in Madrid, accuses Spanish authorities of neglecting their obligations under EU law by ignoring vessels that have repeatedly switched off their tracking systems while operating off the coasts of Senegal and Guinea Bissau.<\/p>\n
![\"Close](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/icon-cross-10x10-grey-6.svg.svg+xml\"){kind=icon}
\u201cFishing in the dark\u201d<\/p>\n
At the heart of the legal challenge is the use of Automatic Identification Systems (AIS). This tracking technology is mandatory for all boats over 15 metres in length and supports safety and transparency in the fishing<\/strong><\/a> industry.<\/p>\n An analysis by the nonprofit Global Fishing Watch revealed that several Spanish-flagged vessels<\/strong><\/a> appeared to go dark for extended periods between 2020 and 2023. One boat allegedly switched off its AIS for more than a year during that period.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat puzzles us is why these boats switch off their public identification signals, going \u2018dark\u2019 for such long periods,\u201d Nils Courcy, a lawyer at ClientEarth, said in a statement.<\/p>\n The NGOs argue that such activity could mask illicit<\/strong><\/a> practices that not only threaten marine biodiversity<\/strong><\/a> but also undermine economies and food security in one of the world\u2019s most heavily fished regions.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThis lack of transparency could be linked to fraud,\u201d Courcy added.<\/p>\n In 2023, the NGOs formally requested the Spanish authorities to investigate the AIS anomalies. They claim that Spain<\/strong><\/a> has refused to do so, prompting the legal action.<\/p>\n Legal loopholes and global consequences<\/p>\n When it comes to legal duties in the globalised fishing industry, the waters are murky.<\/p>\n Spanish authorities claim they lack jurisdiction to act against citizens or companies operating outside EU waters, unless the vessels are blacklisted internationally. The NGOs argue that this position is at odds with EU law<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cEU law explicitly prohibits its citizens and companies from engaging or supporting illegal fishing anywhere in the world,\u201d said Ignacio Fresco Vanzini, senior policy advisor at Oceana. \u201cIf they do, Member States must identify and sanction them, regardless of whether these vessels are part of official blacklists.\u201d<\/p>\n Many Spanish companies establish joint ventures with local firms or reflag vessels to countries like Senegal or Guinea Bissau, allowing them to benefit economically from rich West African fishing zones while circumventing EU regulations. Although technically operating under local laws, such vessels are still owned by Spanish entities.<\/p>\n Enforcement<\/strong><\/a> is an even more complex issue.<\/p>\n International law places the responsibility for enforcement on coastal and flag states. But the NGOs believe that when those authorities fail to act, Spain must step in.<\/p>\n Illegal fishing: a broader European problem<\/p>\n The lawsuit comes amid increasing scrutiny of global fishing practices.<\/p>\n In February 2025, several NGOssued<\/strong><\/a> the French government over its failure to end bottom trawling in marine reserves, arguing that authorities had ignored damaging practices in protected areas\u200b.<\/p>\n Senegal, meanwhile, was issued a \u201cyellow card\u201d warning by the EU in 2024 due to its inability to control illegal fishing activities.<\/p>\n But some countries are upping their efforts to protect their natural habitats.<\/p>\n Finland and Sweden joined forces in 2024 to crack down onillegal<\/strong><\/a> salmon fishing, whilePortugal<\/strong><\/a> expanded its marine protected areas, giving it the largest such network in Europe.<\/p>\n The West African coast is one of the most productive fishing<\/strong><\/a> zones in the world, attracting fleets from China, Russia, Korea and the EU. Foreign-owned vessels, including Spanish boats, make up 73 per cent of the industrial fleet\u00a0in West Africa.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Through sustainable fisheries<\/strong><\/a> partnership agreements (SFPAs), EU vessels can legally fish for surplus stocks in exclusive economic zones in exchange for financial compensation. But these arrangements are now under strain.<\/p>\n The EU\u2019s agreement with Senegal, which had allowed EU vessels to target tuna and hake, was not renewed after the country was issued a yellow card. Guinea Bissau\u2019s agreement remains intact, permitting EU vessels to fish for tuna<\/strong><\/a>, shrimp and cephalopods such as squid and octopus. But how sustainable<\/strong><\/a> it is remains unclear.\u00a0<\/p>\n According to the International Organisation for Migration, income for small-scale West African fishers has decreased by an estimated 40 per cent in recent years. In Senegal, where fishing is indirectly responsible for more than half a million jobs, the fish catch has dwindled by 75 per cent in the last decade.\u00a0<\/p>\nADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\nADVERTISEMENTWest Africa\u2019s coveted fish stocks<\/p>\nADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n