The Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates, Mr. Nasser Bourita, and Russia’s Head of the Federal Agency for Fishery Ilya Shestakov signed on Friday in Moscow a new cooperation agreement on fisheries, which stands in for the previous expired agreement.
The agreement was signed on the sidelines of the 8th session of the Morocco–Russia Intergovernmental Joint Commission co-chaired by MFA Bourita and the Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, Dmitry Patrushev.
The new four-year agreement stands in for the earlier agreement expired on December, 31, 2024 and establishes a legal framework and practical terms allowing Russian ships to operate in the Moroccan Atlantic waters, in line with the Moroccan regulations in force.
The agreement sets an annual fishing share not to exceed by vessels, strictly regulates authorized fishing zones along the entire Moroccan Atlantic coast, as well as the biological rest periods established in the concerned zones for the preservation of fish stocks.
In line with the Kingdom’s environmental commitments, the agreement emphasizes the safeguarding of the marine ecosystem, the prevention of overfishing, and the fight against illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
It also provides for reinforced scientific and technical cooperation between Morocco’s National Institute of Fisheries Research (INRH) and its Russian counterpart, through joint training and follow-up programs for the marine ecosystem and the fisheries resources.
Economically, the agreement is set to contribute to the momentum of Morocco’s fishing sector, generating direct benefits for the economy both nationally and in the regions concerned.
It particularly promotes employment for Moroccan seafarers on board Russian vessels, and the development of related activities, notably in the southern ports of the Kingdom, thereby consolidating their role as regional economic hubs.
Furthermore, the agreement provides for cooperation in maritime training, with the award of scholarships and internships to Moroccan students and executives in specialized Russian institutions, with a view of strengthening national skills in this area.
This new cooperation agreement reflects Morocco and Russia’s joint willingness to pursue a mutually beneficial cooperation that is responsible and concerned about safeguarding marine resources and environments, at the service of sustainable development and close historical relations between both countries in the field of fisheries.
