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Rabat – The conference is convened by the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) as a “bold” measures are “urgently” needed to address the fisheries issues, a press release from the GFCM announced.
The statement shared with Morocco World News said that the conference in Marrakechseeks to renew “commitments made under the MedFish4Ever declaration.”
Sixteen Mediterranean riparian countries signed the declaration in 2017, including Morocco.
As a key fisheries exporter, Morocco was among the signatories of the declaration, which aims to save the Mediterranean fish stocks and to “protect the region’s ecological and economic wealth.”
The declaration acknowledged that despite common efforts, the future of fisheries in the region is “at stake.”
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The issue, according to the declaration, is “putting pressure on our fishermen as sub-optimal yields become an increasing threat to employment, further jeopardizthe ing stability of food supply and regional security.”
The Marrakech event aims to serve as a platform, where the signatures can renew their commitments made in the declaration.
“Despite the progress made so far, there’s still a lot more work needed to secure long-term sustainability for Mediterranean fisheries,” said the GFCM statement.
The press release added that the symposium will discuss measures on how to improve working conditions in the industry, as well as on “fighting illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU) fishing”
“MedFish4Ever recognizes that coastal communities need to be protected against the risks and uncertainties that come from being reliant on fishing, and the conference will seek to identify ways of combating poverty, reducing marginalization and promoting resilient livelihoods. The role of women in the industry is currently under particular scrutiny. They need recognition and support.”
The statement acknowledged that the industry has been playing a crucial role in serving as a lever for employment as well as a key food source, providing food and jobs across the region and strengthening the social fabric of countless communities.”
The statement added that some 250, 000 people are “directly employed on fishing boats, along with many hundreds of thousands who work in the industry and its supply chains on shore.”
Dozens of delegations and representatives from the countries, which signed the declaration are expected to convene in Marrakech to attend the symposium.
The list of the countries which signed the declaration includes Albania, Algeria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Morocco, Slovenia, Spain, Tunisia and Turkey – and the European Commission.
