Russia’s Federal Agency for Fisheries, Rosrybolovstvo, has authorized its fishing fleets to harvest 10,000 tons of pelagic fish, including sardines, mackerel, and horse mackerel, in the Atlantic waters off Morocco’s coast.
This decision follows a fisheries cooperation agreement signed between Morocco and Russia in 2020, which was extended through the end of 2024. The agreement sets terms for Russian vessels operating in Morocco’s exclusive economic zone and also covers marine research, fishing techniques, aquaculture, and the construction and maintenance of fishing vessels.
According to Russian media, the annual quota for Russian fleets in Moroccan waters is usually 140,000 tons, subject to adjustments based on scientific data provided by Morocco. A joint Russian-Moroccan committee oversees the agreement’s implementation.
The extension of the agreement was confirmed by both countries last October, and negotiations are underway to extend it further, potentially including Morocco’s southern coastal waters.
Russia has been seeking to expand its fishing fleet’s presence in Morocco’s waters, particularly after the European Court of Justice ruled to annul the EU’s fisheries and agriculture agreements with Morocco. The court found that the agreements covered Morocco’s entire land and sea territory, including the disputed southern regions, a claim that Morocco rejects.
Morocco has maintained that it will not comply with any agreements or legal documents that do not respect its territorial sovereignty.
In response, Morocco has been working to diversify its economic partnerships, ramping up diplomatic efforts to forge new alliances and explore alternative markets, in a bid to reduce reliance on any single trading bloc and strengthen its economic resilience.
The post Russia to harvest 10,000 tons of pelagic fish in Moroccan Waters appeared first on HESPRESS English – Morocco News.
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