Spanish fishing professionals still hopeful to return to Moroccan seas

Fishing industrials from the Spanish northwestern region of Galicia, who used to operate in Moroccan waters before the EU-Moroccan fishing agreement expired last November, showed more optimism than their colleagues from Andalusia (southern Spain) that an agreement with Morocco will be reached before next December.

One of the local associations, hostile to seeking new forms of cooperation other than direct fishing argues that more than sufficient bases exist now to reach a balanced agreement. They consider the total conversion project of fishing professionals as the ultimate and most pessimistic scenarios.

The project, revealed to the press on Monday, was developed by the Spanish department of agriculture, fishing and food and will be envisioned in case no agreement is reached with Morocco to resume fishing.

The local fishermen, who used to operate in the southern-rich waters, employed 1,800 seamen.