فاس نيوز ميديا جريدة الكترونية جهوية تعنى بشؤون و أخبار جهة فاس مكناس – متجددة على مدار الساعة
Russia is making significant efforts to renew its maritime fishing cooperation agreement with Morocco, which had been in effect for the past four years before expiring last December. Moscow hopes that its fishing fleet will be able to resume operations off the Moroccan coast, particularly targeting sardines, which are one of the key resources sought by Russian vessels.
Ilya Shestakov, head of the Russian Federal Agency for Fisheries, expressed optimism about the possibility of signing a new four-year agreement with Morocco, confirming that “all issues related to the agreement have already been discussed.” According to Interfax, Shestakov added that “once signed, we will be able to catch 80,000 tons of fish in Morocco’s exclusive economic zone this year.”
On the Moroccan side, official sources in the maritime fishing sector confirmed that “discussions are ongoing regarding the renewal of the agreement with the Russian side, but no decision has been reached yet.” The sources noted that the previous agreement, signed in 2020, allowed Russia to use 10 specialized fishing vessels off the Moroccan coast, primarily targeting sardines. These vessels left Moroccan waters at the end of 2024 following the expiration of the agreement.
The sources added that “a new agreement with the Russian side is possible in the future, but matters have not yet been finalized.” They also highlighted that industry professionals are closely monitoring the outcome of negotiations between Rabat and Moscow, especially in light of the termination of the previous agreement between Morocco and the European Union.
The professional source emphasized “the strategic and diplomatic importance of this issue for Morocco,” stressing that “the current situation requires new studies to assess potential scenarios, particularly given the decline in national fish stocks, especially sardines, which are a key resource targeted by Russia.”
The source also pointed out “the need for Morocco to initiate discussions with Russia regarding the challenges faced by Moroccan fish exporters in the Russian market, particularly concerning payment procedures that remain unresolved.”
It is worth noting that Morocco and Russia extended their fishing cooperation agreement until the end of 2024, which also included the waters of the southern regions. This came as part of a series of discussions between officials from both countries, reflecting a shared desire to strengthen cooperation in this vital sector.
