Senegal has inaugurated a US$4 million central fish market in the city of Thiès, aiming to reduce post-harvest losses, strengthen cold-chain infrastructure and improve traceability in one of West Africa’s most important artisanal fishing hubs, the government said.
The Thiès Central Fish Market was officially opened on Jan. 24 and represents a total investment of 2.22 billion CFA francs (US$4 million), financed from the own funds of the National Agency for Maritime Affairs (ANAM), according to a statement from the Ministry of Fisheries and Maritime Economy published on Jan. 26.
The facility is equipped with modern infrastructure that meets sanitary and cold-storage standards and has an annual fish processing capacity of about 8,000 tonnes. Authorities say it will help address long-standing inefficiencies in Senegal’s fisheries value chain, where inadequate storage and handling often result in significant losses.
“This infrastructure will significantly reduce post-harvest losses, strengthen the cold chain, improve product traceability, and help formalise marketing channels over the long term,” the ministry said.
Post-harvest losses remain a major challenge for Senegal’s fishing sector, particularly in artisanal fisheries, where limited access to refrigeration and processing facilities has constrained incomes and food security.
More Read
Supporting livelihoods and food security
Officials said the new market is expected to improve working conditions and earnings for fishermen, fishmongers, transporters and women involved in fish processing, who make up a large share of the sector’s workforce.
By centralising storage, quality control and marketing activities, the market aims to generate more value locally and improve the reliability of supply to domestic and regional markets.
The project is also aligned with broader government efforts to support food security and formalise parts of the informal economy, which dominates Senegal’s fisheries sector.
Strategic role of Thiès
The investment reinforces the strategic importance of Thiès in Senegal’s fishing industry. According to data from the National Agency of Statistics and Demography (ANSD), the region has been the country’s leading artisanal fish landing area since 2019.
At that time, Thiès accounted for nearly half of Senegal’s total artisanal fish landings, ahead of other major coastal hubs such as Ziguinchor, Dakar and Saint-Louis.
Official figures estimate that the annual commercial value of fisheries production processed in the region exceeds 80 billion CFA francs ($14.6 million), underscoring the economic significance of the sector for local communities.
Backbone of the sector
Artisanal fishing provides nearly 80% of Senegal’s total fish catches and the majority of jobs in the sector, according to government and industry data. The country is West Africa’s second-largest fish producer after Nigeria.
Senegal’s annual fish production has exceeded 500,000 tonnes each year since 2022, according to data from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
However, authorities have warned that overfishing, climate change and infrastructure gaps continue to threaten the sustainability of the sector, prompting increased investment in value addition, monitoring and processing facilities.
More Read
The Thiès market is part of a broader strategy to modernise fisheries infrastructure, reduce waste and ensure that more of the value generated by the sector remains within the country.
Officials say similar projects could be rolled out in other key fishing regions as Senegal seeks to balance economic gains with sustainability and long-term food security.
