Morocco Invests $115 Million in Fisheries Research, Boosting Production by 28%

During a videoconference on the theme "Morocco post-Covid-19: how to act to make the blue economy a pillar of growth in Morocco’s new development model", the Secretary General of the Ministry of Agriculture and Maritime Fisheries estimated at 1.15 billion dirhams the amount injected into scientific and technical fisheries research during the period 2010-2020.

According to these statistics, national fisheries production has increased by 28% in volume and 75% in value, during the period 2010–2020. In addition, the added value created by the sector has allowed exports in value to increase by almost 70%.

Zakia Driouich believes that the marine environment, like other sectors of activity, is just as important for the restart of an economy after the crisis related to Covid-19. Better, the success of a fishing policy cannot be envisaged without the conservation and protection of the marine ecosystem and, more generally, sustainable fisheries management.

The minister specifies that the fisheries sector has benefited for 10 years from significant investment to strengthen scientific research and make this sector a tool for monitoring and producing scientific advice to support the management measures put in place, through the National Halieutis Strategy.

Also, the development of 19 management plans such as: the main fisheries, the modernization of marketing infrastructures, the improvement of traceability and fisheries control, has allowed considerable progress with significant development potential for the coming years.