THE DEMOGRAPHIC EXPLOSION OF OCTOPUS VULGARIS IN SENEGAL DURING THE SUMMER 1999

摘要

In Senegalese waters, the exploitation of octopus is characterized by an alternation of good and poor annual production, phenomena certainly related to the variability of the recruitment combined with the short lifespan of the species. The year 1999 shows clearly that a good production does not imply significant profits for fishermen. They were the large losers of this exceptional demographic explosion and they have discarded significant quantities of octopus because of the price-cutting. The fish wholesalers were winning without any doubt. They had the possibility of taking the product near the fishermen, of going to sell it to the fishing industries owners before returning to bargain a new price with the fisherman. Nevertheless, the fishing industry owners were the greatest winners because they bought the octopus at very low prices, even though export prices were decreasing at the time.