Taghazout – A ceremony was held today, Friday, at the Taghazout fishing village, for the delivery of 415 engines for the benefit of artisanal fishing boats belonging to equipped landing points and fishing villages in the Souss-Massa and Guelmim-Oued Noun regions, in the presence of the Minister of Agriculture, Maritime Fisheries, Rural Development, and Water and Forests, Ahmed El Bouari, and the Secretary of State in charge of Maritime Fisheries, Zakia Driouich.
The delivery of these engines comes within the framework of the efforts of the Secretariat of State in charge of Maritime Fisheries to modernise fishing equipment and improve the working conditions of fishermen, especially in the artisanal fishing category, by providing boats not equipped with effective engines with modern equipment or with the aim of replacing broken engines, thus ensuring more effective and safe fishing activity.
This project falls within the framework of the guidelines related to strengthening the infrastructure of the maritime fishing sector and promoting the social and economic development of artisanal fishermen. It is also in line with the comprehensive vision of the "Halieutis" strategy, which is based on sustainability, efficiency, and competitiveness, in accordance with the High Royal Instructions of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, which place the maritime fishing sector at the heart of the Kingdom's strategic priorities.
These engines were purchased within the framework of the agreement signed between the Secretariat of State in charge of Maritime Fisheries, the National Office of Fisheries, and the Central Atlantic Maritime Fisheries Chamber in Agadir, with a total budget of 12.7 million dirhams. These engines were distributed to eight cooperatives in the Guelmim-Oued Noun and Souss-Massa regions, which are active associations located in areas with the highest priority that expressed their needs urgently, noting that the second batch of this operation will be launched at a later time.
This project will directly benefit 1,660 sailors, 08 artisanal fishing cooperatives, and 120 fish traders, as the project will contribute to improving productivity during fishing trips, enhancing maritime safety during difficult weather conditions, and improving fishermen's incomes by targeting high-commercial-value fisheries, which will reflect positively on the economic and social situation of this category.
It should be noted that a total of 537 engines were purchased within the framework of this project, at a total cost of 15.1 million dirhams, under an agreement between Morocco and the European Union (2019-2023) related to sectoral support, which included two previous phases: the first related to the Tan-Tan port, where 70 engines were distributed in May 2021 at a cost of 1.4 million dirhams, and the second in Imourane, where 52 engines were distributed in February 2020 at a cost of 1.04 million dirhams.
In a statement to the Maghreb Arabe Presse (MAP), Ms. Driouich confirmed the commitment of the Secretariat of State to strengthening infrastructure in the maritime fishing sector and contributing to improving the economic and social situation of fishermen.
She added that this project falls within the framework of implementing the comprehensive vision of the "Halieutis" strategy, which is based on sustainability, efficiency, and competitiveness, in accordance with the High Royal Instructions of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, which place the maritime fishing sector at the heart of the Kingdom's strategic priorities.
The engine delivery ceremony was held in the presence of, in particular, the President of the Souss-Massa region, the President of the Central Atlantic Maritime Fisheries Chamber, and a number of personalities and professional representatives.
