Morocco has approved a new draft decree aimed at tightening regulation of inland fishing, setting out rules for commercial activity, scientific fishing, recreational fishing and the use of boats on rivers, lakes and dam reservoirs.
The draft decree No. 2.23.968 forms part of the implementation of Law 130.12, which amended the 1922 dahir governing fishing and aquaculture in inland waters and was designed to strengthen the legal framework for the management of freshwater resources and fishing activity.
The government council approved the draft last week after taking into account remarks raised during the review process. The text was presented by the minister of agriculture, maritime fisheries, rural development, water and forests.
Under the proposed rules, boats used in inland water bodies would have to be registered, while commercial catches would be subject to traceability requirements. Scientific fishing would no longer be governed by a standard fishing licence but by a specific authorisation.
The decree also covers what it describes as regulatory fishing, aimed at limiting, under the supervision of the National Agency for Water and Forests, the spread of invasive species in inland waters.
The decree extends to recreational fishing, including tourism based fishing activities run by approved organizers. It also sets out the procedures for leasing fishing rights, the rules governing fishing competitions, and provisions for a form of private leisure fishing based on catch and release, under which fish must be returned alive to the same waters where they were caught.
The decree also defines the role of volunteer wardens drawn from fishing associations, describing them as active partners in preserving aquatic resources and combating illegal fishing.
According to the presentation note, the draft contains 59 articles across seven chapters and represents the third main component of the reform introduced under Law 130.12. It is intended to complement decrees relating to the regional plan for the development and management of inland fishing and aquaculture, as well as inland aquaculture itself.
The water and forests agency said the 2026 to 2027 inland fishing season, which opened last Sunday, was a strategic lever for rural and mountain areas, but warned that the sector was opening under pressure from water scarcity and climate change, with conservation of biodiversity, especially heritage species such as brown trout, remaining a priority.
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