orocco will earmark a part of the yearly USD 54Mn assistance granted by the European Union under the fisheries agreement signed between the kingdom and the EU in July 2005, to develop the fisheries sector so that it contributes to sustainable development, announced, here Tuesday, Moroccan Agriculture and Fisheries minister, Mohand Laenser.
Laenser, who was speaking at the House of Advisors' question time, said this budget would also be used for structuring the Fishworkers sector, promoting scientific research, upgrading the fisheries products marketing networks and assisting the professional associations of the sector.
The minister pointed out that the joint scientific commission, set up by virtue the agreement, will be tasked with following up the evolution of halieutic reserves to avert their depletion.
The 4-year agreement provides for a financial compensation for Morocco amounting to USD 210Mn, along with a USD 4.50Mn additional annual sum. It allows 119 European boats, 100 of which are Spanish, to fish in the Moroccan waters. The deal which sets an annual quota of 60,000 tons for industrial pelagic fishing -due to benefit mainly northern European countries- excludes the Mediterranean coasts and species considered as fragile.
The Spanish fishing fleet resumed its activities in the Moroccan waters on April 1st, after a 7-year break following the expiry of the previous agreementLabels: financial aid, scholarship, student loans |
