Rabat- The National Fisheries Office (ONP) has reported a concerning drop in the value and volume of marketed products from coastal and artisanal fishing in Morocco during the first six months of 2024.
According to the ONP data, the total value of these products fell by 4% to reach 4.8 billion dirhams. In terms of weight, landings decreased by 10% compared to the same period in 2023, settling at 469,715 tons (T).
The report highlights significant declines in the landings of certain key species. Shellfish saw an alarming 82% plunge, with only 24 T recorded. Seaweed, crustaceans, and pelagic fish also dropped by 39% to 5,914 T, 25% to 3,863 T, and 12% to 378,849 T, respectively.
However, not all species were affected equally. Landings of white fish and cephalopods bucked the trend, increasing by 6% to 48,925 T and 5% to 32,141 T.
The geographical breakdown shows that Mediterranean ports bore the brunt of the decline, with a 20% drop in landings to 7,222 T, generating 340.28 million dirhams in value. Atlantic ports fared slightly better but still saw a 10% decrease in tonnage to 462,493 T and a 4% drop in value to 4.46 MMDH.
Earlier this year in March 2024, the National Fisheries Office (ONP) reported that despite a decline in the volume of landings, coastal and artisanal fishing products saw a 2% growth in value, reaching nearly 3 billion dirhams during the first quarter of 2024.
In the same period, the weight of these products stood at 181,280 T, a decrease of 14% compared to 2023.
