The body of the tourist was picked up by Mauritanian coastguards alerted by his family, who found that the boat was no longer visible at sea and that he spent much more time than expected.
The German family is spending their holidays in a tourist cabin on the Atlantic coast of Nouadhibou.
Canoe accidents in Mauritanian waters are mostly caused by collisions with large vessels on the high seas.
Meanwhile, a Mauritanian sailor died last Tuesday off Nouadhibou, after reportedly jump into the sea after a fire on his canoe. Five other crew members, with various degrees of injury, were saved by rescuers.