Dozens of industrial fishermen staged a protest on June 21 in Nouadhibou, the economic capital, demanding the resumption of negotiations for the collective agreement that has been suspended since June 2022. Syndicate leader Cheikh Ma El Aïnine Ould Hassan stated that the protesters had contacted the concerned ministry several times about this matter, but to no avail. The protesting fishermen have not been paid for over three months by the companies employing them, while the authorities in charge continue to ignore their demands. Cheikh Ma El Aïnine Ould Hassan emphasized that beyond unpaid wages, the protesters are calling for overall improvements of their working conditions, including salary increases, the revision of protective and safety equipment, and the establishment of social and medical coverage to support them in case of illness or work-related accidents.
Mauritanian seafarers have been no new to protests. Shipowners and employers often neglect their obligations towards these workers, refusing to provide formal employment contracts and failing to comply with international standards of decent work, health, and safety. This lack of legal protection exposes them to exploitation, abuse, and unfair practices.
A Sea of Ignored Inequalities and Suffering:
Arbitrary dismissal is a heartbreaking reality for many Mauritanian seafarers. They can be deprived of their jobs without prior notice or valid justification. This constant precariousness creates an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty among the sailors, leaving them vulnerable to further abuse and economic difficulties. They are often forced to accept unfair working conditions to meet their own and their families’ needs.
In 2021, a group of sailors working in the city of Nouadhibou found themselves without work overnight after the ships they worked on were transferred from one company to another. The sailors were laid off following this transaction, despite having worked for the company for seven years. During a protest organized in April 2021, they called on the President to intervene and compel the employers to provide the necessary compensation or, alternatively, rehire all the dismissed workers. Like many other cases, this matter was left unresolved, and the sailors had to seek alternative employment or find a way to survive by working on their own.
While cases of arbitrary and collective dismissals multiply, the authorities continue to handle them on a case-by-case basis. In an open letter addressed to the President in June 2020, sailors stated that it is almost impossible for them to seek redress through labor courts, and the numerous dismissals that occur in this highly precarious sector are only resolved by officials from the relevant ministry when they are willing to do their job.
The arrival of foreign sailors on Mauritanian ships has also had a significant impact on the working conditions of local sailors. Increased competition in the maritime job market has led to a decrease in employment opportunities for Mauritanian sailors, who sometimes find themselves relegated to subordinate positions or even excluded from the sector. This situation creates a sense of injustice and insecurity among Mauritanian sailors, who demand the establishment of a clear and precise salary scale to prevent companies from hiring foreign sailors at lower costs and ultimately protect both Mauritanian and foreign workers.
Amidst the Deadly Waters:
In December 2022, following a meeting with the Minister of Fisheries and Maritime Economy, Mr. Mohamed Ould Abidine Ould Maiyif, the European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans, and Fisheries, Virginijus Sinkevičius, raised concerns about “the lack of professionalism among Mauritanian sailors, particularly regarding maritime safety.” The number of accidents at sea resulting in the loss of numerous lives among sailors and fishermen unfortunately testifies to this lack of safety.
In the heart of the vast expanses of the ocean lies a painful and unknown reality: the suffering of Mauritanian sailors. For years, these fearless men have faced deadly dangers, encountering tragic incidents that have marked their lives and their country. Deprivation of rights, work accidents, and deaths have intertwined in a dark and poignant narrative.
The accounts of maritime accidents involving Mauritanian sailors resonate as ominous echoes in the depths of the country’s maritime history. In 2016, a Mauritanian fishing vessel sank off the coast, taking several sailors with it into an unfathomable abyss. Their families were left in a state of insurmountable grief and despair, while the wounds of this tragedy left an indelible mark on the social fabric. This is just one example among many. The years that followed have been marked by a series of tragic incidents, where Mauritanian sailors fell victim to devastating work accidents. Some were caught in ruthless storms, tossed by raging waves, while others faced dilapidated and poorly maintained ships, leading to preventable collisions or shipwrecks.
The consequences of these accidents extend beyond the loss of human lives; they also leave indelible scars on the lives of those who survive. Severe injuries, amputations, physical and psychological traumas become the daily burden of the surviving sailors. The nightmares of the experienced tragedies overlap with the echo of the waves, creating a painful symphony that haunts their minds.
The pain of these incidents has been exacerbated by the deprivation of fundamental rights. Mauritanian sailors are indeed confronted with blatant economic exploitation, working in inhumane conditions and lacking adequate legal protection. Their labor has been ruthlessly exploited, their rights violated, leaving them trapped in an unforgiving system that ignores their dignity and worth as human beings.
It is crucial that these incidents are not forgotten, that they do not dissipate into the depths of history. On the contrary, they must serve as a catalyst for change. Mauritanian society and the international community must come together to put an end to this spiral of suffering. Stricter regulations, increased oversight, and collective awareness are needed to protect Mauritanian sailors from further tragedies and ensure that their work at sea is no longer synonymous with death and despair.
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