West African governments are battling to curb illegal fishing, which is threatening fishing stocks. Mr El-Alia, the Fisheries Minister, told BBC Afrique that local people were dependent on fish for food and their livelihood. The government would not tolerate foreign-owned firms making profits by fishing illegally in Senegalese waters, he added. They turned their catches into "fishmeal to feed animals in their countries", Mr El-Alia said.