Fishing industry in Morocco
Encyclopedia
The fishing industry in Morocco is a leading foreign exchange earner, accounting for 56% of agricultural and 16% of total exports. For a long time the industry has been an economic pillar for the country. The Kingdom is considered the largest fish market in Africa, with an estimated total catch of 1,084,638 MT in 2001.
and indirect jobs at 400 000 (including 104 000 fishermen). The small-scale fisheries sector
(100 000 people), however, lags far behind other branches of the fishing idustry owing to the
lack of infrastructure and of harbour facilities and plant.
The fishing grounds in the Canary Current
off Morocco’s west coast are exceptionally rich in sardine
s, bonito, and tuna
, but the country lacks the modern fleets and processing facilities to benefit fully from these marine resources. An important part of a major trade agreement Morocco concluded with the European Union
in 1996 concerned fishing rights, by which the EU pays Morocco an annual fee to allow vessels (mainly Spanish) to fish Moroccan waters. A new four-year fishery agreement with the European Union
will allow European vessels, mostly from Spain
, to operate in Moroccan and Western Saharan waters in exchange for an economic compensation programme, which the National Fishery Office of Morocco intends to use to boost modernisation of its domestic fishery sector.
(EEZ), resulting in a 70 nautical miles (129.6 km) coastal fishing limit. This was extended to 200 nautical miles (370 km) in 1981. Western Sahara is not internationally recognised as part of Morocco, and Moroccan fisheries in the territory are considered in violation of international law.
Fisheries sector
The fisheries sector accounts for 3% of GDP. The government estimates the number of directand indirect jobs at 400 000 (including 104 000 fishermen). The small-scale fisheries sector
(100 000 people), however, lags far behind other branches of the fishing idustry owing to the
lack of infrastructure and of harbour facilities and plant.
The fishing grounds in the Canary Current
Canary Current
The Canary Current is a wind-driven surface current that is part of the North Atlantic Gyre. This eastern boundary current branches south from the North Atlantic Current and flows southwest about as far as Senegal where it turns west and later joins the Atlantic North Equatorial Current. The...
off Morocco’s west coast are exceptionally rich in sardine
Sardine
Sardines, or pilchards, are several types of small, oily fish related to herrings, family Clupeidae. Sardines are named after the Mediterranean island of Sardinia, around which they were once abundant....
s, bonito, and tuna
Tuna
Tuna is a salt water fish from the family Scombridae, mostly in the genus Thunnus. Tuna are fast swimmers, and some species are capable of speeds of . Unlike most fish, which have white flesh, the muscle tissue of tuna ranges from pink to dark red. The red coloration derives from myoglobin, an...
, but the country lacks the modern fleets and processing facilities to benefit fully from these marine resources. An important part of a major trade agreement Morocco concluded with the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
in 1996 concerned fishing rights, by which the EU pays Morocco an annual fee to allow vessels (mainly Spanish) to fish Moroccan waters. A new four-year fishery agreement with the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
will allow European vessels, mostly from Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, to operate in Moroccan and Western Saharan waters in exchange for an economic compensation programme, which the National Fishery Office of Morocco intends to use to boost modernisation of its domestic fishery sector.
Reform
Morocco's wide-reaching agricultural reform drive has been extended to the fishing industry. At the end of September 2009, the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Maritime Fishing unveiled Plan Halieutis. Which aims to increase exports from DH8.3bn (€729m) in 2007 to DH21.9bn (€1.9bn) by 2020. In the same time period, the sector's contribution to GDP is expected to rise from DH16.2bn to DH23.9bn (€2bn). Direct jobs in the fishing industry, a key employer, are also anticipated to nearly double, rising from 61,650 to 115,000.Disputes
There have been constant disputes with Spain over fishing rights since 1973 when Morocco declared an Exclusive Economic ZoneExclusive Economic Zone
Under the law of the sea, an exclusive economic zone is a seazone over which a state has special rights over the exploration and use of marine resources, including production of energy from water and wind. It stretches from the seaward edge of the state's territorial sea out to 200 nautical...
(EEZ), resulting in a 70 nautical miles (129.6 km) coastal fishing limit. This was extended to 200 nautical miles (370 km) in 1981. Western Sahara is not internationally recognised as part of Morocco, and Moroccan fisheries in the territory are considered in violation of international law.
External links
- www.fishelsewhere.eu Coalition of NGOs and politicians from 22 EU countries which call on the EU to respect international law, and immediately halt all fishing in the waters of occupied Western Sahara.