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Rabat – Morocco and Mauritania signed a protocol on cooperation in fisheries research on Saturday, during the sixth Halieutis Fair in Agadir, which is dedicated to the fishing sector.
The signing ceremony was chaired by Moroccan Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Mohammed Sadiki, along with Mauritania’s Minister of Fisheries and Maritime Economy Mohamed Abidine Mayif.
More specifically, the agreement seeks to improve cooperation between Morocco’s National Institute of Fisheries Research (INRH) and the Mauritanian Institute of Oceanographic Research and Fisheries (IMROP).
Director of the INRH Faraj Abdel Malek and Director of the IMROP Hafedh Ejiwen signed the protocol, which will implement commitments previously agreed on in a scientific research cooperation agreement from 2022.
It also seeks to improve the processes of assessment of fish stocks, as well as their bio-ecological studies. Biodiversity, ecological habitats, and “climate and anthropogenic disturbances” are expected to be key areas of collaboration under the protocol.
The two parties will work to harmonize their methods of collecting and processing information, and focus more research on common problems in aquaculture that are of importance to both countries.
The Halieutis Fair ran between February 2-5, and brought together more than 200 exhibitors from 48 different countries to discuss the various challenges and developments facing the fisheries sector.
Held in its sixth edition, the 2023 fair is running under the theme “Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture: levers for an inclusive and efficient Blue Economy.”
The fishing sector is one of Morocco’s most important fields. In 2022, the country’s fisheries exports reached a record $2.7 billion, reflecting increased demand for the country’s products abroad.
Morocco is the world’s largest exporter of certain products such as canned sardines and semi-preserved anchovies, driving home the importance of the sector regarding its economic competitiveness.
