The House of Representatives adopted on Monday during a legislative session bill no. 95.21, amending and supplementing Dahir law no. 1.73.255 dated 27 Shawwal 1393 (November 23, 1973), which sets out regulations on sea fisheries.
On this occasion, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Rural Development and Water and Forests, Mohamed Sadiki, stated that this bill is part of the gradual reform of the legal framework governing the maritime fishing sector in order to support its evolution and sustainable development.
He added that the bill aims to preserve maritime resources, strengthen scientific research, improve control of maritime fishing activities, and prevent and combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.
It will help preserve maritime resources and ensure responsible fishing, thus contributing to the renewal and sustainability of marine species stocks in a context marked by climate change and its repercussions on the marine environment, in addition to human factors, Sadiki stressed.
The bill includes new provisions enabling the National Fisheries Research Institute (INRH) to monitor fishing operations and take the necessary samples on landing or at fish markets, said the Minister.
These provisions also lay down the conditions and procedures for issuing scientific sea fishing authorizations, as well as the conditions for recreational fishing with or without a fishing vessel, and the conditions for issuing vessel chartering authorizations.
The bill also provides for the reinforcement of internal traceability procedures for seafood products, including the obligation for fish wholesalers to keep a record of the origin of catches.
It introduces new offenses, notably for exceeding the authorized percentage or threshold of additional species set for fishing vessels, among others, and classifies fines according to the type of marine fishing activity practiced and the vessel’s gross tonnage.
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