HIBAPRESS – Rabat
The National Agency for Water and Forests announced the official opening of the fishing season in inland waters in Morocco for the year 2026-2027, starting on Sunday, March 8, 2026. This step confirms the Agency's continuous commitment to preserving aquatic ecosystems and developing the continental fishing sector in accordance with a sustainable and responsible approach.
The Agency confirmed in a press release that fishing in inland waters constitutes a strategic lever for the development of rural and mountainous areas, due to the multiple economic opportunities it offers, which contribute to strengthening local dynamism.
This sector includes several essential components, most notably sport and recreational fishing, which contributes to attracting eco-tourism and valuing the natural qualifications of the areas, in addition to commercial fishing, which represents a source of income for a number of local actors, as well as the aquaculture in inland waters, which has become a fundamental pillar for fish production and ensuring the sustainability of resources.
The opening of this season comes in an environmental context characterized by several challenges, foremost of which is the pressure on water resources and the effects of climate change, which makes preserving fish biodiversity a top priority, especially for species of high heritage value such as the trout (Truite fario).
In this context, the Agency recorded important results during the past season in the field of fish restocking, where 26.7 million young fish were produced, especially from the Cyprinidae family, which were released into various water bodies and rivers in the Kingdom, which contributed to strengthening the national fish stock and ensuring the continuity of the activity.
To ensure sustainable management of the sector, the National Agency for Water and Forests relies on a set of organizational and scientific measures, including the strict application of the annual decree regulating fishing, which determines the permitted quotas, the minimum sizes of fish, and the opening periods.
The Agency also continues to scientifically monitor aquatic environments, in addition to producing and releasing young fish through the National Center for Aquatic Life and Fish Farming in Azrou, as well as strengthening monitoring operations to combat illegal fishing.
The management of this sector also falls within the framework of a participatory approach that brings together various stakeholders, as the meeting of the National Council for Fishing and Aquaculture in inland waters held on February 5th, contributed to defining the strategic directions for the new season and enhancing coordination between the administration, professional associations and the concerned actors.
In the context of encouraging responsible environmental practices, the Agency continues to expand the "Catch and Release" (No-Kill) fishing initiative, which aims to protect fish resources and ensure their sustainability. Five new trails were added during the current season to the 51 existing trails, bringing the total number to 56 trails dedicated to this technique, in a step that reflects the trend towards modern sport fishing that respects environmental balances.
Despite the challenges facing the sector, especially those related to climate change and pressure on some ecosystems and the continuation of some cases of illegal fishing, these constraints, in return, open up promising prospects for developing sustainable fishing tourism and creating job opportunities in rural areas, in addition to promoting innovative aquaculture and structuring value chains related to the sector.
At the end of its statement, the National Agency for Water and Forests called on all fishermen, whether amateurs, professionals, or aquaculturists, to make the 2026-2027 season an opportunity to establish a culture of responsible fishing, stressing that preserving the national fish heritage is a collective responsibility that requires commitment to laws and strengthening cooperation between the administration, associations, and all beneficiaries, in order to ensure the transfer of this natural wealth to future generations in the best conditions.
