This plant was built in violation of zoning laws and uses banned juvenile fish, according to local activists. Cheikhou Mbengue, the coordinator of a local artisanal fisheries council, who spoke with The Outlaw Ocean Project in 2023, said that the plant was built within 500 feet of the nearest residential areas, violating local zoning laws.¹ Historical satellite imagery confirmed that many homes and businesses already existed within 500 meters, or about 550 yards, of the site where the plant would be built, in possible violation of Senegalese zoning laws, according to a review by The Outlaw Ocean Project.² The plant’s proximity to homes exposed locals to the overpowering stench created by the processing of fishmeal. When they “could no longer stand the smell,” Mbengue added, a group of environmentalists, artisanal fishers, and government officials showed up at the plant, where they observed a second category of violation. The workers there were processing juvenile sardinella, Mbengue added, to be turned into fishmeal and exported out of Senegal. “It’s the outside world that they favor,” Mbengue said. “They take everything.” The supply of juvenile species to the plant worsened conditions for artisanal fishers, who were already struggling from the effects of overfishing on the region’s fish stocks. Chérif Ndione, a fisher and fishmonger, told reporters that a loss of income led many of these fishers to attempt to reach Europe.³

Africa Feed did not respond to a request for comment.⁴