The Moroccan Government is planning to allocate MAD 750,000 million (EUR 68.1 millions) to modernise the country’s marine fishery sector's infrastructure, in a five-year-plan from 2006 to 2010.

According to the General Manager of the National Fishery Office (ONP), Majid El Ghaib, they expect to implement 80 percent of the modernisation plan in the first year.

El Ghaib commented recently on a Moroccan national television programme that the agreement signed with the European Union (EU) will give new possibilities of ties between professionals from both parties and will ensure allocation of between EUR 36.5 and EUR 45.6 million to the national fishery sector.

Some of the measures planned are the renewal of the fishery fleet, training programmes for fishermen, the development of a distribution network for catches, and the improvement of quality standards, so as to allow for entry of Moroccan products into new markets.

El Ghaib also said that the government also plans to restructure about 40 fishery community and landing docks, mostly located along the south coast of the country. He mentioned that a programme implemented in co-operation with the Agency for Development of the South Provinces has already been set up.

The four-year fishery agreement will allow 119 EU vessels, mostly from Spain, to operate in Moroccan waters in exchange for a compensation of EUR 144.4 million (EUR 36.1 million annually). In addition EUR 3 million will be allocated from MEDA programmes (measures targeting small and medium-size companies) and EUR 13.6 million by way of fishery levies, for a total of EUR 163 millions for the duration of the agreement.

The EU Fishery Ministers ratified the fishery agreement last 22 May (See World News, 24 May), and is awaiting formal approval by the Moroccan Administration to later proceed to the definitive signing by both parties for its effective enforcement.