Fisheries production in Morocco has recorded a 14% increase in the first quarter of 2022. the National Fishing Office (ONP) announced that the country is showing signs of recovery as the value of marketed products from coastal and artisanal fishing reached MAD 2.9 billion ($295 million).
The report estimated the weight of the fish products at 193,955 tonnes, a 21% decrease compared to the first three months of 2021. By species, the sum of crustaceans, cephalopods, and whitefish increased by 39%, 30% and 6% respectively, whereas the values of algae, shellfish, and pelagic fish declined by 68%, 22% and 19% respectively.
A total of 5,706 tonnes of coastal and artisanal fishery products were delivered to the Mediterranean port entries by the end of March 2022, marking a decrease of 10% to the same period a year earlier.
Value
In terms of value, these ports recorded a decline of 7% to MAD 186 million ($18 million). Meanwhile, the Atlantic recorded 188,249 tonnes, which fell by 22%. But their value increased by 16% to more than MAD 2.7 billion ($275 million).
Morocco and the EU recently launched a project to strengthen the Moroccan aquaculture sector, with the North African country vowing to bolster investments in marine aquaculture. The EU is expected to finance the joint venture aimed at implementing aquaculture projects for sustainable growth with a €250,000 budget.
In 2018, a report by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) ranked Morocco 13th worldwide and first in Africa, with 1.4 million tonnes of fish production. FAO also noted that aquaculture production reached 1,960 tonnes in Morocco in 2004.
 announced){kind=link}