Is it a priority for west African fish producers?
It is true that it is an extremely lucrative market, but, at the same time, it is a market that is increasingly difficult to get access to. The rigorous European import regulations, for example sanitary regulations and the new regulation to fight illegal fishing, restrict access to this market for a great number of west African companies. Another problem for our products is that in recent years fish prices have dropped in Europe, and, at the same time, European buyers are finding new sources of fish, notably from India and south-east Asia. Thus, and although the west African fish products are still very competitive in Europe, producers are increasingly interested to find new markets, whether in the region, in the United States or in Asia. Q: You mentioned the new European regulation to fight IUU fishing (IUU Regulation). Does this regulation pose specific problems for west African countries? A: This regulation has just come into effect, and I must say that, in west Africa, at least in
