This paper assesses the level of implementation of co-management in the governance of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in Senegal. Fieldwork (perception surveys and interviews) was carried out with local stakeholders in seven of Senegal's MPAs from 2016 to 2018, supported by a conceptual analysis of the various dimensions of MPAs governance. The article highlights the difficulties induced by the implementation of the participatory approach in the management of MPAs in Senegal, and how these difficulties question the very performance of MPAs. The shortcomings identified include management committees’ lethargy, the existence of a duality between participatory management and directive governance, and finally, the difficulty in correctly executing management measures. The main results allow us to make recommendations for optimizing the management of MPAs. After fifteen years of operation, it seems that the governance framework of protected areas needs to be strengthened in Senegal, in order to have stronger, dynamic and unifying local institutions in order to achieve their objectives of conservation and to sustainably implement natural resources community management.