The ceremony was attended by 32 delegations from different countries, including 13 ministers, notably from African countries.
Placed under the High Patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, May God Assist Him, this 6th edition is held from February 1 to 5, 2023 at the exhibition center of the city of Agadir under the theme: “Sustainable Fishing and Aquaculture: levers for an inclusive and efficient Blue Economy” with Spain as guest of honor.
Organised by the Halieutis Exhibition Association over an area of over 16,000 m2, the exhibition, which sees the participation of 337 exhibitors from operators in the fishing, seafood processing and aquaculture sectors, aims to attract over 50,000 visitors.
The show is an opportunity for visitors, professionals, investors and the general public to discover the professions, activities and services related to the maritime fishing and aquaculture sectors. It focuses on innovative technologies, creating high added value for the promotion and sustainable development of these sectors as a structuring component of the blue economy.
On this occasion, the Head of Government, accompanied by a large delegation composed of ministers representing participating countries, visited the 7 poles of the show which cover the entire fisheries value chain, namely: the institutional pole, the international pole, the valorization & process pole, the fleet & gear pole, the innovation pole, the sustainable development pole and the animation pole.
The organization of this major event reflects the importance of the fisheries sector in the national economic fabric. National fisheries production totaled 1.55 million tons in 2022, placing the Kingdom at the forefront of African producers and 14th worldwide.
National production and total exports of marine fisheries products recorded an increase of 10% and 13% respectively in 2022 compared to 2021, despite the decision taken by the Ministry to cancel the summer fishing campaign for the southern Boujdour octopus fishery and the application in this area of a biological rest of more than 8 months. This decision was taken to allow the recovery of this stock whose biomass has experienced a significant decline.
This year’s edition offers a rich cycle of meetings and conferences around the potential of aquaculture, in a perspective of sustainability and feeding the blue economy, exploiting advances in science, technology and innovation in support of the sustainable development of the sector and the resilience of fisheries food production chains. The show also focuses on preparing the next generation of scientists, ocean leaders and future professions to support the blue economy of the future.
This edition, marked by its international openness, saw the participation of 49 countries, including 22 member states of the Ministerial Conference on Fisheries Cooperation between African States Bordering the Atlantic Ocean (COMHAFAT).
2024-09-18 16:36:19