The aim of this article is to present the issue of "social reproduction" and the persistence of identity among young fishermen in Senegal. The authors conducted field surveys among young fishermen at various locations on the Senegalese coast. Field surveys were conducted with 700 young fishermen aged between 15 and 24 years. This provided important qualitative and quantitative information on the intergenerational transmission of the fishing trade, on motivations for practising fishing, on changes linked to the trade, and on possible professional alternatives. The results showed that Senegalese artisanal fishermen have a mostly negative perception of their trade, due to the dangerous nature of the activity, an ongoing crisis in the sector, and the very precarious social conditions of Senegalese coastal communities. Most remained in the fishing business for two reasons: lack of professional alternatives, and a high level of social reproduction. The persistence of the fisherman's identity in Senegal limits the education of young people from fishing families and restricts their access to other jobs outside fishing. Over 50% of the young fishermen surveyed had never attended school and over 70% had not completed elementary education. Most had their own boat by the age of 28. The social vulnerability of Senegal's fishing communities compromises the ability of the Government of Sene-gal to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4), which is to ensure quality education for all. The article concludes with recommendations for reducing the social vulnerability of young fishermen and developing professional alternatives.