Moroccan Fishery Output Up 33 Per Cent

Coastal artisan fishing in September saw a 33 per cent increase from the same month of last year, according to the National Department of Fisheries,the Fish Site reports.
 
There was a significant increase, in value and volume of sardines, mackerel, anchovies and tuna. There was also an increase in fishing of urchins, whitefish, and crustaceans, reports Brazil-ArabNewsAgency.
 
There was, however, a decline in production of shellfish, cephalopods (octopuses and squids) and algae.
 
Regarding fishing areas, production on the Moroccan Atlantic Coast was up 36 per cent in quantity and six per cent in value. With a turnover of 3.57 billion dirham ($416.4 million), the Atlantic Coast accounted for the bulk of fishing activity in the country.
 
In the Mediterranean, volume was down 10 per cent and revenues were down 21 per cent, to a total of 236.5 million dirham ($27.6 million) last month.
 
Morocco shipped the equivalent of $11.6 million to Brazil from January to August, up 56 per cent from the same period of last year, according to the Brazilian Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade. Sardine is the main fish exported from Morocco to Brazil.
 
Aziz Akhannouch, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries said following the EU Parliament’s decision not to renew the EU’s fisheries agreement with Morocco on 14 December 2011, that the decision was an opportunity for domestic fishermen. "We have our own means of development of this sector, and Morocco will continue to work for sustainable development of this sector through the support and implementation of the marine fishing plans. And we have enough professionals who want to fish and to take advantage of this wealth and to develop it for the benefit of their country," the minister said.