Morocco and Russia Renew Fishing Agreement, Expanding Maritime Partnership

This new agreement, approved by the government council four months ago, has just received the green light from the commission on foreign affairs, national defense, Islamic affairs and Moroccans Residing Abroad, according to parliamentary sources. It is mainly aimed at the preservation and exploitation of fishery resources in the economic zone of Morocco, provides for the conditions of fishing by vessels flying the Russian flag in the territorial waters of Morocco on the Atlantic coast.

This partnership will also be scientific and technical, between the National Institute of Marine Fisheries Research and its Russian counterpart, in order to closely monitor the ecosystem of small species in Moroccan waters. It will also be an opportunity for Moroccan students to benefit from scholarships for training in Russian institutions specialized in fisheries.

It should be noted that, since 1992, this new agreement, the eighth of its kind, will last four years. It will also create a legal framework that can authorize a fleet of ten Russian vessels to fish for small pelagic fish in Moroccan waters, i.e. more than 15 nautical miles.