Morocco awarded for responsible fishing

During the International Conference on Small Scale Fisheries in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, held in La Valletta (Malta), on September 26, 2018, Morocco received from the European Commission the award for responsible artisanal fishing.

The award, withdrawn by the General Secretary of the Maritime Fisheries Department, Zakia Driouch, was recognized for the innovative initiatives implemented by Morocco in the small-scale fisheries sector, including the use of ice boxes on small vessels and the installation of artificial reefs in coastal areas.

The two initiatives, presented by the General Secretary of the Maritime Fisheries Department, during the Conference, are aimed at sustainability, the valorisation of products and the competitiveness of the sector, in line with the main objectives of the HALIEUTIS strategy.

Artificial reefs, installed in some parts of the Moroccan coast, both on the Atlantic and Mediterranean sides, act as devices for the conservation of the marine environment and the ecological restoration of resources with a view to promoting the sustainable development of resources and so, the socio-economic development of the artisanal fisherman communities.

The ice boxes are part of one of the main programs adopted by Morocco to promote fisheries products, by improving the quality and consequently increasing competitiveness on the market.

The international recognition received by Morocco highlighted the success of the HALIEUTIS strategy and the Kingdom’s efforts in the development of the maritime fisheries sector, reflecting the good results of the maritime fisheries policy.