A fragile, overexploited treasure

Started in 1948, the harvesting of red algae in Morocco experienced such rapid growth that the Kingdom was for a time the world's leading exporter. However, this overexploitation endangered the existence of the species, forcing the relevant authorities to limit its harvest. Collected during the three summer months on a small part of the Atlantic coast, this plant allows for the production of "agar agar", a vegetable gelling agent used notably in the making of jams or cosmetics, which has seen significant development in recent years, particularly in Europe, to the point of causing massive overexploitation, especially in the El Jadida region. "Always more divers, always just as few red algae...", a fisherman on a beach in El Jadida testifies to the AFP.Morocco, faced with the scarcity of this increasingly coveted "red gold", has taken drastic measures. But the fight will be long. Between…