At a meeting held in Agadir this week, Russia and Morocco have agreed terms for fisheries and co-operation for 2019, with an increase in the Russian fleet’s quotas for horse mackerel, anchovy, sardine and sardinella in Moroccan waters up by 10,500 tonnes to 140,000 tonnes.
The agreement was signed by Russia’s Deputy Minister of Agriculture of Russia and head of the Federal Agency for Fisheries Ilya Shestakov and Secretary-General of the Moroccan Maritime Fisheries Department Zakia Driouch.
Both parties expressed their satisfaction with the current agreement in 2018. Seven Russian vessels are currently working in Moroccan waters, and these landed around 110,000 tonnes of production last year, and 327 Moroccan crew have been employed on these Russian vessels.
Morocco agreed to the Russian proposal to extend the agreement for a third year to 15th April 15, 2019, with the catch proportions for species unchanged and no-fishing zones were agreed on.
The increased quota takes into account the results of research carried out in October-November 2018 as part of the joint Russian-Moroccan research programme, using Russian research vessel Atlantis. An assessment of recruitment of small pelagics in the Moroccan zone was carried out.
Russia and Morocco also agreed to continue scientific and technical co-operation in monitoring the pelagic ecosystem. Russian is ready to resume receiving on board of Russian fishing vessels trainees of the Higher Institute of Marine Fisheries in addition to the Moroccan deck crews.
‘We held a final session within the framework of the current four-year Agreement. Now we have the task of preparing an outline of Russian-Moroccan co-operation for the future. I am confident that through joint efforts, this will be implemented,’ Ilya Shestakov said, and expressed his appreciation to Zakia Driouch for organising the session and the entire Moroccan delegation for their determination to find mutually beneficial solutions.
