In order to boost the blue economy, Morocco has planned a partnership with Japan to expand and diversify its aquaculture activities in coastal villages.
The North African Post reported on the alliance, explaining that Morocco found Japan as the perfect ally. This is why Japan is one of the most advanced and experienced in aquaculture.
The step forward in the blue economy arose from the 37th annual meeting of the two countries in the fisheries agreement signed between Morocco and Japan in September 1985. Thus, after welcoming the level of cooperation in the fisheries sector, they signed a three-year cooperation program. However, this was not related to fisheries; it was intended to promote the advancement of aquaculture with Japanese technical support.
Moreover, the agreement also involved negotiating several technical and financial provisions. As reported by the African newspaper, the negotiations also included fishing modalities. Concretely, for Japanese vessels operating in the tuna longline fishery in Moroccan waters during the fiscal year 2023.
The African media made a brief overview of the history of African aquaculture, tracing its origins back to 1950. That year saw the launching of oyster farming in the Oualidia lagoon, which would later give way to intensive farms such as in Nador and M'diq in 1985. In these farms, production focused mainly on sea bass, sea bream, and oysters.
It was not until ten years later that shrimp farming was introduced in the Moulouya River, while shellfish farming began in 2000 in Dakhla Bay. The sector gained momentum thanks to the Halieutis plan implemented to boost the yield and production of fisheries and aquaculture. Since then and until now, Morocco still needs a boost, which Japan can now help with.
