HIBAPRESS
Zakia Deriouche, Secretary of State in charge of Fisheries, chaired today, Wednesday, December 17, 2025, in Rabat, the 26th session of the Board of Directors of the National Agency for the Development of Marine Aquaculture.
This session was dedicated to presenting and studying the Agency's achievements for the year 2025, in addition to presenting the action plan and the estimated budget for the year 2026, in the context of strengthening the national dynamics for the development of the marine aquaculture sector. During the meeting, the members of the Board of Directors reviewed the results achieved during 2025, where the number of projects that entered into operation reached 184 projects, with a targeted production of approximately 75,507 tons, and with a total investment of 1.76 billion dirhams, which resulted in the creation of 2,361 direct jobs. Data related to the development of 62 additional projects were also reviewed, which are expected to provide, when they enter production, an additional capacity of approximately 14,590 tons, with an investment estimated at 307 million dirhams, and the creation of about 520 direct job opportunities, which reflects the continuous dynamics that the sector is witnessing and the gradual maturity of the marine aquaculture system in Morocco.
The action plan for the year 2026, which includes 35 projects, falls within the continuity of the 2025-2027 strategic road map for the fisheries sector, ensuring the harmony of national orientations with the development programs supervised by the Agency. This plan focuses, in principle, on continuing planning in the field of marine aquaculture by launching calls for expressions of interest to open new areas for investment, strengthening the capabilities and professionalism of the actors, modernizing breeding systems, and raising technical and managerial competencies, in addition to improving quality, tracking origin, and enhancing the competitiveness of products. The Council also discussed the measures to accelerate the structuring of professional bodies and accompany them towards official recognition. As part of updating the services directed to investors, the Agency intends to develop an integrated digital platform to fully digitize the investment path, with the aim of simplifying procedures, reducing processing times, and enhancing transparency. The trends adopted for the year 2026 reflect the will to consolidate the position of marine aquaculture as a basic lever for sustainable growth, in harmony with the national trends related to the comprehensive and responsible blue economy. At the conclusion of the session's proceedings, the Board of Directors unanimously approved the action plan and the estimated budget for the year 2026, confirming its commitment to continue supporting the sustainable and organized development of the marine aquaculture sector.
