During a legislative session on Monday, the House of Representatives unanimously adopted draft law no. 95.21 amending and supplementing dahir law no. 1.73.255 of 27 chaoual 1393 (November 23, 1973), which sets out regulations on maritime fishing.
On this occasion, Mohamed Sadiki, Minister of Agriculture, Maritime Fishing, Rural Development, Water and Forestry, pointed out that this bill is part of the gradual reform of the legal framework governing the maritime fishing sector, in order to support its evolution and sustainable development.
This project, he maintained, aims to preserve marine resources, strengthen scientific research, improve control of marine fishing activities, and prevent and combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. It will help preserve maritime resources and ensure responsible fishing, thus contributing to the renewal and sustainability of marine species stocks in a context marked by climate change and its repercussions on the marine environment, in addition to human factors, Mr Sadiki added.
The bill includes new provisions enabling the Institut National de Recherche Halieutique (INRH) to monitor fishing operations and take the necessary samples when fish is landed or at fish markets, the Minister added.
These provisions also lay down the conditions and procedures for issuing scientific sea fishing permits, as well as the conditions for recreational fishing with or without a fishing vessel, and the conditions for issuing vessel chartering permits.
In addition, the bill provides for the reinforcement of internal traceability procedures for seafood products, including the obligation for those responsible for wholesale fish markets to keep a record of the origin of catches.
It also introduces new offences, notably for exceeding the authorized percentage or threshold of additional species set for fishing vessels, among others, and classifies fines according to the type of sea-fishing activity practised and the vessel’s gross tonnage.
Source: Perspectives.
