The government of Andalusia voiced its concern and uncertainty regarding the imminent expiration of the fisheries agreement between Morocco and EU on July 17th.
47 fishing vessels that fish in Moroccan waters are dependent on this agreement. They are mainly based in the province of Cádiz (Campo de Gibraltar, Barbate, and Conil).
25 of these boats rely on longlining while 22 use the purse seining method of fishing employing approximately 500 crew members.
The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, and Rural Development, Carmen Crespo urged the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food, Luis Planas to apply more pressure on Brussels and the European Commission to accelerate the negotiations with Morocco.
The minister stressed the importance of this agreement for the economy of the Andalusian fishing sector. She encouraged Spain to mediate between Morocco and the EU so as to ensure the continuation of the agreement upon which several households in Cádiz depend.
Carmen Crespo expressed her concerns about the prospect of the agreement not being renewed. “The fishing effort that has been directed towards the Moroccan fishing grounds would be concentrated in Andalusian waters, which could result in a loss of profitability and employment in the Andalusian fishing fleet” she said.
The agreement allowed Andalusian fishermen to catch over 1,500 tons of fish worth four million euros in the Moroccan fishing grounds.
Spain has already delivered its request in March to the Council of Ministers in order to prevent the termination of the agreement
The current fisheries agreement has been active since July 2019 was revoked in September 2021 by the General Court of the EU. The annulment of the agreement came as a result of its application to waters of Moroccan Sahara when a verdict in 2018 ruled against it. The verdict stated that the Moroccan Sahara is a “non-self-governing territory” and concluded that the population should be consulted.
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