Fishermen in Saint-Louis, Senegal, face an unprecedented crisis. The opening of BP’s Gulf of Mexico gas project has slashed their catches by more than half. Gora Fall, a 25-year-old fisherman, told us that he used to thrive off of his work but now “just works to live.” His remarks underscored the economic plight that threatens all local fishermen. Earnings have since crashed on the order of 80 percent from $445 to $90 per fishing trip. Consequently, the livelihoods that were booming on the Atlantic coast now hang in the balance.
The gas platform, which sits some 10 kilometers off the coast of Senegal’s Saint-Louis, has upended fisheries in the area. Saer Diop, a 38-year-old fisherman who has stopped fishing altogether due to dwindling catches, lamented the impact of the project on their traditional way of life. “Before, we worked to live, but now we just work to survive,” said Fall, capturing the essence of their struggle.
Local fishermen are right to be worried about BP’s intentions to build an artificial reef only about two miles off the shore. They are concerned that this new change will make it even harder to get fish to bite. “When they came in 2019, they told people: ‘We’re going to build you eight artificial reefs’ to at least replace our Diattara,” recounted Nalla Diop, reflecting on the promises made by BP that have yet to materialize.
Senegal’s Oceanographic Research Centre of Dakar-Thiaroye (CRODT) undertook a study to select 12 potential sites for installation of artificial reefs. From these, they identified only two possible sites to BP. Dr. Modou Thiaw, a senior researcher at CRODT, illustrated that there are a number of sustainable alternatives. Yet these proven alternatives are not being used to their full extent. The repercussions of this decision are felt most directly by the local fishermen, who depend on a thriving sea for their survival.
The repercussions extend beyond the fishermen themselves. Additionally, women in Saint-Louis, who have historically been responsible for fish processing, have been impacted by the subsequent decrease in catches. Diamol Sène, a local fish processor, shared her concerns: “Fish has become too expensive, transport costs are high. Today, we take in just about what we need to pay for that.” The domino effect of dying fish stocks results in lost jobs and reduced earnings for countless families.
Besides the direct economic burden, the environment is at risk. In February 2025, the Senegalese government announced a major gas leak. BP referred to it as “gas bubbles” escaping from one of its wells. Mamadou Ba is an oceans campaigner with Greenpeace Africa in Dakar. He cautioned that gas leaks would greatly damage public health, sanitation, and further stress the issues that communities in the area are already dealing with.
Gora Fall has looked for other sources of livelihood and started doing carpentry work from 2021. He makes, fixes, and decorates canoes these days, doing whatever he needs to do to keep his family fed as the fishing catches wither on the vine. TAPE queens and TAPE queen-makers Across political boundaries, that fierce bond between fishermen and the sea was evident in Benjamin Olthof’s TAPE.
Once completed, the gas project will pump out approximately 2.3 million tonnes of liquefied natural gas annually. This remarkable productivity is projected to sustain itself for more than twenty years. This economic promise is in stark contrast to the painful realities the local seafood industry, and their families, face every day. While BP takes its next steps to implement its plans, an entire community continues to face a cloud of uncertainty over their future.