HIBAPRESS
Zakiya Ed-Driouch, Secretary of State in charge of Fisheries, along with Ilaria Carnevali, the Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme in Morocco, oversaw today the signing of documents for the project to integrate sustainable fisheries value chains within the blue economy in the major marine ecosystems of the Canary Current and the Pacific Coast of Central America, known as (GMC2). This is an international initiative aimed at promoting the integration of sustainable fisheries value chains within the framework of blue economy development.
The GMC2 project is funded by the Global Environment Facility and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). It also benefits from the technical expertise of the "Partnership for Sustainable Fisheries (SFP)", which specializes in promoting sustainable fishing practices and developing supply chains for marine products.
This project falls within the framework of an international dynamic aimed at strengthening the sustainability of marine fisheries and encouraging the responsible exploitation of fish resources.
In particular, it aims to integrate environmental sustainability requirements and social responsibility within the supply chains of marine products, while strengthening the governance of marine fisheries and increasing the value of products from sustainable fishing practices.
The GMC2 program is being implemented in six countries: Morocco, Mauritania, Senegal, Ecuador, Guatemala, and Panama. Regarding implementation in Morocco, the project's activities will focus in particular on small pelagic fisheries, especially sardines and anchovies, which constitute a strategic pillar for the national fisheries economy.
The programmed interventions aim to enhance the sustainability of these fisheries, encourage the consumption of products from responsible chains, and improve the availability and transparency of scientific and technical information related to the status of fish stocks, as well as support regional cooperation in the field of research and management of shared stocks.
The project also provides for the mobilization of various actors in the value chain, including economic operators and buyers, with the aim of promoting market demand for marine products from sustainable and responsible fisheries.
This project extends over five years and will benefit from funding from the Global Environment Facility, in addition to an in-kind contribution from the fisheries sector, as well as activities carried out at the regional and international levels.
Through this initiative, Morocco reaffirms its commitment to the sustainable management of marine resources and the promotion of a comprehensive blue economy, which reconciles the conservation of marine ecosystems with economic development and the improvement of the living conditions of fishing communities.
