Following the implementation of eight new aquaculture projects, the coastal town of Bizert in Northern Tunisia, recently set up an action plan to promote fish farming.

Ash from an Icelandic volcano continues to wreak havoc for the fresh seafood industry as it interrupts flights across the globe. Norwegian salmon farming giant Marine Harvest has cut its salmon harvest and Iceland put its fresh fish on hold as they find themselves unable to ship out consignments by air.

Built on an area of 2740 m², the new facility has administrative blocks, multipurpose rooms, a library, and laboratories specialized in the monitoring of fisheries resources and marine environment, as well as in the analysis of petroleum hydrocarbons.

The center's main tasks include studying marine ecosystems, assessing fisheries resources, and monitoring the marine environment in the northern zone of Jebha-Larache.

The facility's activity also consists in studying and assessing stocks of tuna (bluefin tuna and swordfish), and conducting chemical analysis of petroleum hydrocarbons in case of accidental pollution throughout the national maritime area.

HM the King also chaired the signing ceremony of a donation agreement that provides for granting Morocco 4.7 million dollars, as part of the Millennium Challenge Account MCA-Morocco.

Under this agreement, the INRH is committed to ensuring the sustainability of the small-scale fishing and a continuous scientific monitoring of fish resources, as well as contributing to the promotion of scientific research in this field.

Morocco and the United States signed in August 2007 an agreement that earmarked 116 million dollars for small-scale fishing and its structuring activities.