Report | June 2, 2025

Missing authorisations for the French fleet in West Africa

Between 2020 and 2023, Oceana identified eight French vessels that appeared to be fishing in the waters of Angola, Ghana, Guinea, and Sierra Leone, for which no corresponding authorisations are available. Our analysis suggests that these problems may persist in 2025 for some of these countries, such as Sierra Leone and Guinea. These findings indicate a systemic failure by the French authorities to comply with their obligations under European Union (EU) transparency and fisheries control rules.