The development of a fishmeal industry in Mauritania and its impact on the regional stocks of sardinella and other small pelagics in Northwest Africa

Mauritania has recently developed a fishmeal industry based on small pelagics. The fish are caught by Senegalese canoes that work under charter for the fishmeal factories, most of which are situated in the northern port of Nouadhibou. After a slow start in 2005–2010, the industry showed a strong development after 2010 as the result of high prices for fishmeal and oil. Catches of small pelagics landed for fishmeal increased from 50,000 t in 2011 to 240,000 t in 2014. Because new factories were still being built by the end of 2014, a further expansion of the catches used for fishmeal is expected. Data are presented on the species composition of the catches for fishmeal, and the length distribution of the individual species. It is shown that the catches consist of round sardinella (Sardinella aurita), flat sardinella (S. maderensis), and bonga (Ethmalosa fimbriata). Changes in species composition and length composition from 2012 to 2014 may indicate different responses of the coastal stocks of small pelagics to the increased fishing pressure. Some of the species exploited for fishmeal belong to regional stocks that are shared with neighbouring countries. The paper discusses the potential effects of the expanding fishmeal industry in Mauritania on these regional stocks.