Morocco reopens octopus fishing season following biological recovery and improved stock levels

Morocco reopens octopus fishing season following biological recovery and improved stock levels
Friday 18 July 2025 - 21:02

Morocco has reopened the national octopus fishing season along its entire coastline starting July 15, following a spring biological rest period from April 1 to July 14, the Secretariat of State for Fisheries announced in a statement received by Hespress.

The decision follows encouraging findings presented at the June 18 meeting of the Octopus Fishery Monitoring Committee and a positive opinion from the National Institute for Fisheries Research. 

Authorities delayed the summer season’s launch to allow juvenile octopuses to mature, a move that has yielded larger catches and improved biological sustainability.

Fishing resumed under ministerial decisions PLP-04/25 and PLP-05/25, issued July 9, setting quotas of 8,640 tons for the area south of Sidi Ghazi and 960 tons for Boujdour’s maritime district.

 In the north, a 10,050-ton quota represents a 6% increase from 2024, reflecting stock recovery.

Initial landings showed mature specimens and solid yields, with coastal fleet productivity averaging 1 ton per outing, and prices ranging from MAD 90 to 140/kg. Squid catches also indicated positive trends post-closure.

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