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Rabat – Russia is actively working on renewing its maritime fishing agreement with Morocco, which expired last December after being in place for four years. Moscow is eager for its fishing fleet to resume operations off Morocco’s coast, particularly targeting sardines, sardinella, mackerel and anchovies.
“We submitted a draft order to the government on the signing of a new agreement with the Moroccan side for four years and with the option of extension for another four years,” said the head of Russia’s Federal Fisheries Agency, Ilya Shestakov.
Shestakov, who announced that all issues related to the agreement have already been discussed, said that, once finalized, the agreement will allow Russia to catch 80,000 tons of fish in Morocco’s exclusive economic zone in one year.
On Morocco’s side, maritime fishing officials reportedly confirmed that talks are still ongoing, but no decision has been made yet. The previous deal, which was signed in 2020, allowed Russia to deploy 10 specialized fishing vessels off Morocco’s coast. The Russian vessels left Moroccan waters at the end of 2024 after the agreement expired.
While a new agreement with Russia is still possible, the sources noted that discussions are not yet concluded. Industry professionals are closely monitoring the talks, particularly following the termination of the agreement between Morocco and the European Union.
One official pointed out the strategic and diplomatic significance of the negotiations for Morocco, suggesting that the current situation requires thorough studies to assess the impact, particularly due to the declining national fish stocks, especially sardines, which are a key target for Russia.
In July 2024, the National Fisheries Office reported that marketed products from coastal and artisanal fishing declined by 4% in value and 10% in volume, compared to the same period in the previous year.
The report also pointed out the alarming decline of some key sea species, such as shellfish which dropped by 82%, seaweed by 39%, crustaceans by 25%, and pelagic fish by 12%.
Additionally, the source stressed the need for Morocco to address the challenges that local fish exporters face in the Russian market, especially regarding unresolved payment procedures.
Morocco and Russia previously extended their fishing cooperation agreement until the end of 2024, which included the waters off the coast of the southern regions.
If implanted, the new agreement would be the ninth of its kind since maritime cooperation started between the two countries in 1992.
Russia is also exploring fishing opportunities in the African market through the Great African Expedition, which they launched off in August, seeking to assess the resources of Africa’s exclusive maritime economic zone.
“The expedition will provide valuable scientific data on Africa’s biological resources and new opportunities for Russia’s fishing industry to develop as it expands export markets and strengthens Russia’s geopolitical position in Africa. The mission is an important step towards Russia’s strategic goal to strengthen international cooperation and gain access to promising new markets,” said Shestakov earlier last year.
