Cooperation between the government, private sector actors, and artisanal fishers is vital in enabling Morocco to preserve and develop its fisheries, a new World Bank report underlines.
The report, titled “Pioneering Marine Spatial Planning in Morocco: An Opportunity to Articulate Conservation and Development,” uses data from a technical assistance activity on the use of marine spatial planning.
“The government plans to apply this approach to identify the location for a proposed new marine protected area in Agadir, on Morocco’s Atlantic coastline,” the World Bank said.
The report, which aims to outline a governance method that can equip all ocean resource users with the data they need, stresses the importance of the multi-sectoral approach to grow Morocco’s maritime economy.
The general principles of the World Bank’s proposed approach include most notably insurances to mitigate conflicts in the use of resources between different stakeholders.
It also promotes a multi-use strategy to let multiple parties divide ocean resources into protected areas or multi-use ones, aiming to “ensure coexistence and strengthen synergies between activities.”
The approach can also improve investor confidence in the country’s facilities and products, the report adds, explaining that it introduces transparency and predictability.
Morocco’s Blue Economy has long been a vital part of its economic makeup, with the country’s coastal areas contributing 59% to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP and providing 52% of jobs.
The fisheries sector alone makes up 1.5% of Morocco’s GDP and provides 700,000 direct and indirect jobs, the World Bank report adds.
But despite the North African country’s rich biodiversity and maritime environment, with over 600 identified fish species, the sector has historically remained hindered by limited cooperation between the different actors and a fragmented policy.
With the country’s government setting a target for the creation of 450,000 maritime jobs in 2021, and the 2020 Halieutis strategy that targets growth in aquaculture, Morocco is well positioned to establish a strong future for its Blue Economy.
In addition to fishing, the country plans to use its ocean resources for seaweed farming, water desalination, and renewable energy, among other emerging uses.
