Morocco, EU discuss fisheries partnership

Means to upgrade Moroccan-European Union (EU) partnership in fisheries realms topped talks held in Rabat Thursday between Moroccan Fisheries Minister, Taieb Rhafes, and a visiting EU delegation.

The Moroccan official briefed the EU delegation on Morocco's efforts to promote the fisheries sectors and on a program to increase Morocco's fisheries-generated currency receipts to US$ 2 billion by 2007 from 1 billion currently.

He also informed the European delegation on investment possibilities in Morocco's fisheries sectors, citing, in this connection, ship-building, fish culture and the construction of fishermen villages.

The European delegation, led by Jorgen Holmquist director general of fisheries at the European Commission, said the EU is keen on promoting fisheries partnership with Morocco mainly through assistance to resources protection and marketing joint ventures.

They said the EU "has given up the outdated approach of bilateral accords" and tends to rather encourage forms of partnership based on rational and responsible exploitation of resources.

Morocco used to have four-year accords with the European Union, whereby European ships, mainly Spanish and Portuguese, would fish in Moroccan grounds against an annual financial cooperation. The last accord of the kind expired in 1999. Morocco never accepted to renew the agreement, putting forward the preservation of its fish stocks and the need for a new form of partnership as arguments.