Mbarka Bouaida, Secretary of state at the Ministry of Agriculture and Maritime Fisheries. (Photo: Mbarka Bouaida Twitter)

Moroccan Govt intends to boost aquaculture

MOROCCO
Monday, December 18, 2017, 23:50 (GMT + 9)

The Moroccan Government has planned to take advantage of its 3,500-kilometre marine coast industry and its 1.2 million square kilometers of coastal areas to develop its aquaculture.

The intention was expressed by Secretary of state for Fisheries Mbarka Bouaida, who stressed that Morocco’s vision for this field is “to make it an indisputable growth engine that can forge a true blue economy,” Maghreb Arab Press (MAP) reported.

The state official believes that Morocco not only has the natural resource requirements to make this plan successful, but also multiple competitive advantages, including the quality of its human capital, its geography as a hub between, Africa and Europe, and its logistical infrastructure.

Morocco is the 17th largest producer of fish in the world, with a fish production of approximately 1.5 million tons, worth more than USD 1 billion.

The fishing industry accounts for 58 per cent of Morocco’s agro-food exports and 7 per cent of its total exports.

In addition, the fisheries sector accounts for 2-3 per cent of Morocco’s GDP and generates 700,000 direct and indirect jobs.

Among other advantages the country has, Bouaida endorsed the privileged and intense partnership with France, especially in the field of agriculture and fisheries, which for her needs to be more reinforced in order to face the new challenges of globalization.
 
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