A strike led by more than 3,000 fishermen is causing an almost total paralysis of the Laâyoune fishing port.

Thus, the union of coastal fishing captains, trawler type, has suspended the activities of 130 vessels affiliated with coastal fishing, following the deadlock in negotiations with the supervisory ministry and the multiple promises from officials that have remained unfulfilled.

The main demand of the strikers concerned the permission for all coastal fishing trawlers to access the area south of Boujdour with a ceiling of 2.5t. The sailors also demanded the cessation of all administrative procedures concerning boat captains as well as the cessation of the use of VMS devices that delimit the distance to 3 nautical miles.

The disgruntled sailors also demanded an increase in their octopus quota and a 40% exemption from taxes on their products.

Some strikers suspect the ministry of fearing the lobby of deep-sea fishing operators, whose members are said to be very influential with officials in the department.

It should be noted that this strike, which lasted a whole week, will have harmful consequences on the region's economy, especially since fishing is the most important financial source for the councils of the three Saharan regions.