The 6th Halieutis Fair, was opened on Wednesday and will be held until February 5 in Agadir, under the theme “Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture: levers for an inclusive and efficient Blue Economy”, with Spain as guest of honor. Some 337 exhibitors are present, including the European Union (EU).
This participation, explains the EU, is part of the Morocco-EU Partnership for the sustainable fisheries and aquaculture sector as well as the Morocco-EU Green Partnership.
Thanks to its stand at the heart of the Halieutis exhibition, the EU will welcome visitors throughout the week and discuss with them the actions implemented within the framework of the Morocco-EU Partnership for the benefit of the sustainable fishing sector and aquaculture, it is further underlined.
Numerous bilateral meetings, round tables and awareness-raising workshops are planned, aimed at professionals and the general public.
This year, the European Union is once again present at the Halieutis Fair, an international meeting place for the fisheries sector, through a large stand on which it will be possible to find:
– Information on the EU-Morocco sustainable fisheries agreement and the EU with its African partners, EU-Morocco trade relations, EU support for aquaculture in Morocco, the EU-Morocco green pact as well that the projects of the European Investment Bank (EIB) in Morocco
– Side events:
– The management of fisheries in the Mediterranean with the Moroccan authorities and the General Commission for Fisheries in the Mediterranean,
– A round table on the development of the fisheries sector in the EU’s African partner countries and the contribution of fisheries agreements as a leverage effect
– A workshop on the European initiative West Med
– A workshop on fisheries control and the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing with the European Fisheries Control Agency
– two workshops on the links between climate change and the oceans, aimed at young people aged 10 to 15 and then 16 to 25, with the Association of Teachers of Life and Earth Sciences and SOS Children’s Villages
The EU has been very involved in the show since its creation because this show represents a major event in Africa for the exchange of experience between European and African countries on the issues of fishing, aquaculture, blue economy and the preservation of biodiversity. .
The Sustainable Fisheries Partnership between the European Union and the Kingdom of Morocco, which has existed for more than 30 years, has been implemented through a series of bilateral agreements and implementation protocols, since 1988 .
These instruments allow, on the one hand, EU shipowners to carry out their fishing activity in waters located outside the Union against the payment of financial compensation for access, and, on the other hand, to contribute financially to the governance of fisheries and the development of the local fishing sector.
In Morocco, the successive protocols have also made it possible to support the “Halieutis” strategy for the development of the sector. through the strengthening of scientific and control capacities, the construction of landing quays and the strengthening of the safety of artisanal fishermen, support for the aquaculture projects of 500 young Moroccan entrepreneurs, scientific prospecting campaigns at sea and the development of laboratories to better protect fisheries resources, or support for socio-professional sea fishing associations.
The EU thus pays a financial contribution amounting each year to between 37 and 42.4 million euros (M€) from its budget: from 19.1 M€ to 21.9 M€ per year for access to the resource and from €17.9 million to €20.5 million for support to the fishing sector. The amount of royalties due by European shipowners is estimated at between 11.1 and 12.7 M€ per year.
The European Union’s participation in the Halieutis exhibition is also part of the Morocco-European Union Green Partnership, the signing of which in October 2022 consolidated cooperation in terms of environmental protection, preservation of biodiversity and the fight against climate change.