Mauritania y Marruecos acuerdan un protocolo conjunto en materia pesquera

The signing ceremony was presided over by Mohamed Sadiki, Moroccan Minister of Agriculture, Maritime Fisheries, Rural Development and Water and Forests, and Mohamed Abidine Mayif, Mauritanian Minister of Fisheries and Maritime Economy in Agadir. At the event, a new reciprocity protocol was signed between the Kingdom of Morocco and the Islamic Republic of Mauritania; among the main objectives was the strengthening of cooperation in fisheries research. The entities that have been part of the memorandum are the National Institute of Fisheries Research (INRH) of Morocco and the Mauritanian Institute of Oceanographic and Fisheries Research (IMROP).  

This protocol involves the collaborative reinforcement of the processes of assessment and bio-ecological study of halieutic stocks, the deepening of knowledge on biodiversity, essential ecological habitats and their connectivity, and the strengthening of collaborative studies on ecosystems of common interest linked to climatic and anthropogenic disturbances. It also involves harmonising methods for collecting and processing information, strengthening socio-economic studies on shared issues, and discussing aspects of aquaculture development; they added that it "concretises the commitments recorded in the framework agreement on cooperation in marine and fisheries sciences".

For both states, fisheries is one of their main sectors. Morocco has been the leading exporter of canned sardines every year for a number of years due to its high level of fishing, accounting for 64% of the global total. Total exports amounted to around 500 million dollars in 2022. The economic importance of sardine fishing in Morocco is not limited to catches. It also extends to processing, canning, freezing and the sale of fresh fish, so it also plays an important role in the development of Moroccan seafood exports. On a social level, it is an activity that generates a lot of direct and indirect employment, particularly on vessels and in ports. 

As a solution to the problem of sardine overfishing, within the framework of resource stability, in 2008 there is a sustainability plan that includes the management of small plastics. The agreement between the two countries, both members of the Eastern Central Atlantic Fisheries Committee (CECAF), builds on previous commitments to collaborate in key areas such as capacity building in marine fisheries, scientific and technological research, aquaculture and sustainable exploitation of shared fisheries. The two countries have also agreed to work together in the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, and again to strengthen maritime rescue and anti-pollution processes. 

On the other side of the coin, the European Parliament urges Mauritania to put an end to overfishing of small pelagics, which has negative consequences for local food security and causes water pollution. MEPs point out that despite the commitment reached with Mauritania in 2017 to phase out fishmeal and fish oil production by 2020, there has been a continued expansion of fishmeal factories since 2010. The sector has created 66,000 direct jobs and tens of thousands of indirect jobs. The fisheries sector in Mauritania contributes 231 million euros in direct budgetary revenues and provides 704 million euros in foreign exchange earnings for the country, as well as contributing 174 million euros to national wealth creation.  

The Mauritanian Ministry of Fisheries announced in December a reduction in taxes on catches by national fishing boats in order to support Mauritanian investors and encourage the abundance of fish on local markets. These reductions were decided during the Council of Ministers, the Fisheries Cabinet said in a statement. The 67% reduction in taxes would be applied to the cargoes of vessels whose product is destined for the local market. These reductions, which began in January of this year, have allowed the national market to be more competent, up to 35% more, and have strengthened and facilitated the possibility of making contracts at an international level.