On this occasion, the Minister of Agriculture, maritime fisheries, rural development and water and forest, Mohamed Sadiki, indicated that this bill is part of the progressive 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 maritime resources, strengthen scientific research, improve the control of maritime fishing activities, and prevent and fight against illegal, undeclared and unregulated fishing.
It will help preserve maritime resources and guarantee responsible fishing, thus contributing to the renewal and sustainability of stocks of marine species in a context marked by climate change and its repercussions on the marine environment, in addition to human factors. , added Mr. Sadiki.
The bill includes new provisions allowing the National Fisheries Research Institute (INRH) to monitor fishing operations and take the necessary samples during landing or at fish markets, the minister said.
These provisions also set the conditions and procedures for issuing scientific maritime fishing authorizations, as well as the conditions for practicing recreational fishing with or without a fishing vessel and the conditions for issuing vessel chartering authorizations.
In addition, the bill provides for the strengthening of internal traceability procedures for seafood products, in particular the obligation for those responsible for wholesale fish markets to keep a register of the origin of catches.
In addition, it introduces new offenses, in particular with regard to exceeding the authorized percentage or threshold of additional species, set for fishing vessels, among others, and classifies fines according to the type of maritime fishing activity practiced and the gross tonnage of the vessel.
2024-09-27 22:18:23