During this meeting, the two parties lauded their exemplary cooperation in the field of sea fishing, which places the sustainability of resources as a prerequisite for this cooperation, said a joint press release.

The implementation of the Fisheries Agreement during the first year of the protocol in a difficult context marked by the Covid-19 pandemic was on the agenda of this session, said the same source, noting that despite the negative impact of the pandemic on several sectors, the fisheries sector contributed to ensuring food security and securing jobs.

The authorized European vessels continued to operate in accordance with the provisions of the agreement and its protocol thanks to the close cooperation of the two parties driven by a spirit of solid partnership between Morocco and the EU, it stressed.

While deeming satisfactory the progress of the fishing activity during this first year, the two parties examined the difficulties noted in the implementation of the provisions of the agreement during this same period, while working to provide solutions and alternatives, it added.

The review of the results of the joint scientific committee made it possible in particular to guide the setting of the conditions for the exercise of fishing activities for the year 2021.

In addition, the two parties welcomed the implementation of projects financed by sectoral support under the first year of the agreement, which makes it possible to call 98.1% of the tranche opened under the second year of said agreement, ie an amount of approximately € 18.4 million, recalling that sectoral support contributes to the implementation of the sectoral policy within the framework of the Moroccan strategy for the development of the fishing sector.