Morocco and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) signed the documents of the project Integration of sustainable marine fishing value chains into a blue economy for the major marine ecosystems of the Canary Islands Current and the American Central Pacific Coast (GMC2) on Tuesday, March 10.
The international initiative, which aims to promote the integration of sustainable fishing value chains in the development of the blue economy, marks the official launch of the implementation of this project in Morocco.
The documents were signed on Tuesday in Rabat by the Secretary of State for Sea Fisheries, Zakia Driouich, and the resident representative of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Morocco, Ilaria Carnevali.
Funded by the Global Environment Fund (WFM) and implemented by UNDP, the GMC2 project benefits from the technical expertise of the organization « Sustainable Fisheries Partnership » (SFP), specialized in the promotion of sustainable fishing practices and the transformation of seafood supply chains.
As part of an international dynamic to strengthen the sustainability of fisheries and promote responsible exploitation of fisheries resources, the project aims in particular to integrate the requirements of environmental sustainability and social responsibility within the supply chains of seafood products, while promoting better fisheries governance and an increased valorisation of products from sustainable practices.
The GMC2 program is implemented in six countries, Morocco, Mauritania, Senegal, Ecuador, Guatemala and Panama. In the Canary Islands Current region, it will contribute to strengthening cooperation and efforts for sustainable management of shared fisheries resources.
In Morocco, the project’s activities will focus in particular on small pelagic fisheries, in particular sardines and anchovies, which are a strategic pillar of the national fisheries economy. The planned actions are aimed at strengthening the sustainability of these fisheries, promoting the consumption of products from responsible sectors, improving the availability and transparency of scientific and technical information on the state of resources, as well as supporting regional cooperation in research and management of shared stocks.
The project also provides for the mobilization of value chain actors, including economic operators and buyers, to strengthen market demand for seafood from sustainable and responsible fisheries.
With a duration of five years, the project will benefit from funding from the Global Environment Fund, supplemented by the contribution in kind of the Maritime Fisheries Department and by activities carried out at the regional and international level.
Ms. Carnevali indicated that this initiative places particular emphasis on the preservation of fisheries resources, especially small pelagics such as sardines, which are an essential pillar for the economy, food security and exports of the Kingdom.
Through this initiative, Morocco reaffirms its commitment to the sustainable management of marine resources and the promotion of an inclusive blue economy reconciling the preservation of marine ecosystems, economic development and the improvement of the living conditions of fishing communities.
source : apanews
