Occupied Dakhla (Sahrawi Republic), August 4, 2025 (SPS) – The Sahrawi Observatory for Natural Resources and Environmental Protection (SONREP) has denounced what it described as a "serious environmental crime" off the coast of the occupied city of Dakhla, where approximately 80 tons of corvina fish were dumped into the sea.
In a statement issued Monday, the Observatory noted that these fish were caught as bycatch in non-selective fishing operations targeting other marine species, describing this behavior as a "blatant failure in marine resource management and a systematic disregard for sustainable fishing rules."
The incident, according to the Observatory, is evidence of predatory fishing practices driven by quick profits, highlighting the "complete absence of any effective environmental oversight" in the region.
The Sahrawi Observatory held the Moroccan occupation authorities fully responsible for this incident and its repercussions, stressing that such practices stem from a colonial reality that deprives the Sahrawi people of access to their marine wealth while fishing revenues are monopolized by economic networks and companies operating under the cover of occupation.
In response, the Observatory called for an independent and transparent international investigation to determine accountability, and the activation of an international monitoring mechanism over fishing activities in Sahrawi waters.
It also urged regional and international environmental organizations, particularly the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), to intervene urgently to protect the threatened marine ecosystems.
The Observatory warned that any economic activity conducted without the consent of the Sahrawi people is "illegal and unethical."
In conclusion, the Observatory reaffirmed its commitment to documenting these violations and exposing policies of "systematic environmental and economic plunder" in Western Sahara.
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