After EU pullout, fishing becomes strategic development sector

Fishing will become a strategic development factor instead of a bargaining card, and if we wanted our Spanish and Portuguese friends out it was for the sole reason that there was not enough fish, said the chairman of the Moroccan Cephalopod Association (ACM).

The Moroccan surveillance system operated in the protection of its fish resources is made up of patrol boats and aircraft as well as radar and tele-detection monitoring equipments, he said.

Commenting Monday on the European fleet's pullout, the ACM chairman Kabbaj told the daily "Le Matin" that measures were being finalized to see to better fishing through better control and strict respect for bio-reproduction cycles.

Dealing with overstocking and low-prices for cephalopods, Kabbaj said supply should be reduced and marketing problems solved. The government decision to stop the fishery activity for three months is opportune because of both commercial and bio-economic reasons, he said adding the measure will help improve market conditions.