General characteristics

Created on March 24, 2014, the Sangomar Marine Protected Area is located in the rural communities of Palmarin and Dionewar, in the region of Fatick. The MPA is limited to the North by the JoalFadiouth MPA, to the South by the national park “Saloum Delta”and to the East by the Palmarin Community Nature Reserve (RNC) and the rural communities of Bassoul and Djirnda. In the West, it is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean. It covers an area of 87,437 ha, much of it is part of the Saloum Delta Biosphere Reserve.

Objective of the creation

Contribute to the conservation of marine and coastal biodiversity, and especially of certain entities that constitute stumbling blocks for the regeneration and development of fisheries resources in order to promote the economic and social development of local communities

Representative habitats and ecosystems

The MPA contains eight (08) bolongs and four (04) fish and arches breeding sites in the estuarine area. In the marine part, it includes a spawning area (the Sangomar Pit or Bakina Pit).

Main species

It gather a set of particular ecosystems (mangroves, forests, grassy savannahs, tannes, mudflats, Sangomar Island, etc.) which shelter a much diversified fauna. It hosts Palearctic and Afro-tropical migratory birds (inter-African migratory birds). There are reptiles (Nile crocodile, Nile monitor, python, etc.), mammals (hyena, warthog, jackal, patas monkey, dolphin, manatee, etc.) and a rich ichtyo fauna.

Cultural values and economic activities

The local communities around the MPA are very attached to the culture. In each village, there are sacred places of worship. The villages of Niodior, Bassoul and Thialane, are home to many sacred trees baobab (Adansoniadigitata) or baakSeereer, tree particularly appreciated by the spirits and which often serves as a receptacle for the “Pangool”. This is particularly the case of Ndafafé, Tioupane and NdañSireh in Falia and Fandanga and Toumbé in Niodior. Due to their geographical configuration, the local communities of Palmarin and Dionewar live from fishing with assets and significant potential in this sector, malacological picking, processing of fish products, agriculture and livestock, salt extraction, forestry product, tourism and trade.