Morocco hosts the Halieutis Exhibition
The Agadir Exhibition Centre in Morocco is hosting the Halieutis Exhibition from 6 to 9 February 2025, under the patronage of King Mohammed VI.
The biennial international meeting of the fishing sector will analyse the situation of fishing activity, which is of such importance for the North African country.
The fishing and aquaculture sector already accounts for more than 2% of the Moroccan kingdom's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and in 2024 it earned 8% more than in 2023. In addition, Morocco's fishing sector directly employs 220,000 workers and indirectly employs 500,000.
To continue promoting this area, Morocco has launched the national Halieutis strategy. The Strategy for the Development and Competitiveness of the Fishing Sector, known as ‘Halieutis’, seeks to consolidate a sustainable and competitive fishing sector, which takes into account the country's fishing heritage and makes the sector a real engine of growth for the national economy.
The Halieutis strategy seeks to improve cooperation between all parties involved in the sector with in-depth work around three main axes:
- Sustainability: with the aim of guaranteeing the sustainability of resources and making fishermen the main actors in responsible fishing.
- Performance: with a view to organising and equipping the sector for optimal quality, from the moment of fishing to the marketing of the product.
- Competitiveness: to promote products in booming markets by ensuring the availability and regularity of quality raw materials.
This 2025 edition of the Halieutis Exhibition is the 7th and this time it is being held under the slogan ‘Research and innovation for a sustainable fishing sector’.
Operators from the fishing, seafood processing and aquaculture sectors will meet in Agadir to discuss the current state of the sector and the latest developments.
The Agadir Exhibition Centre, on the Moroccan Atlantic coast, will provide 20,000 square metres of floor space for this major event, with five exhibition halls and 523 exhibitors. In addition, more than 50,000 visitors and the participation of up to 55 countries are expected, which gives an idea of the scale of this trade fair dedicated to the sea and aquaculture sector.
A number of personalities will participate in an intense four-day programme. Among them: Zakia Driouch, Secretary of State to the Minister of Agriculture, Maritime Fisheries, Rural Development, Water and Forests of Morocco, Sidi Tiémoko Touré, Minister of Maritime Resources and Animals of the Ivory Coast, Christophe Lecourtier, French Ambassador to Morocco, Moroccan university experts and experts from other important nations and representatives of companies in the sector.
The celebration of the Halieutis Fair in Morocco is not a trivial event, as the Moroccan kingdom is the leading African producer in the maritime sector. Moroccan maritime fishing reaches an annual production of more than one million tonnes, which places the North African country in first place in Africa and 25th worldwide.
Morocco is a very important country in the field of fishing, especially considering that it has a double coastline, both facing the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. In addition, the North African country has 3,500 kilometres of coastline with significant and varied resources. The Moroccan Exclusive Economic Zone covers more than a million square kilometres and is home to a wide variety of marine species, 500 in total, of which 60 are exploited. This makes Morocco the main fish producer in Africa and, for example, the main sardine producer and exporter in the world.
Morocco has an enviable position in the global fishing market, as demonstrated by important fishing agreements with very important players such as the European Union and Russia.
