Legal proceedings against a local fishmeal factory have been undertaken by a group of artisanal fishers, fish processors and inhabitants of Cayar, Senegal, blaming the factory for polluting the town’s air and drinking water source.
The disruptions caused the previous property owners to “flee,” according to the suing parties. Protestors from the community have pledged to shut down the plant regardless of the new owners.
“Environmental litigation like this hardly happens in Senegal or most of Africa. So this will be a historic test for our institutions and citizens’ freedom to exercise their rights,” says Maitre Bathily, a lawyer for the collective.
“But we believe they will prove strong. The factory has repeatedly broken environmental codes, and the environmental impact assessment conducted before it opened clearly had enormous flaws. It should be an open and shut case,” he continues.
Fish meal is dried fish used as fertilizer and animal feed, by not using it for human consumption directly contributes to drive-up food prices in the region. The exported feed goes to European and Asian markets for animal consumption.
Aquaculture feed has also recently come under fire for competing on natural resources with human food ingredient production – adding further strains on ecosystems.