HIBAPRESS – Rabat
The ports of Sidi Ifni and Safi witnessed remarkable activity in the last two days after the discharge of large quantities of fish, primarily sardines, which directly reflected on prices that saw a noticeable decline.
This development comes in the context of a noticeable recovery in fishing activity in a number of fishing areas after a period characterized by difficult climatic fluctuations that affected the productivity of fishing trips. According to data obtained by HIBAPRESS from the delegate of maritime fishing in Sidi Ifni, Mustafa Aït Ala, more than 200 tons of sardines were discharged yesterday, along with some other varieties of fish, an important number that reflects a strong return to the activity of the traditional and coastal fishing fleet in the region. The same source added that the recorded figure today, as of two o'clock in the afternoon, exceeded 300 tons of fish after the arrival of a number of other fishing boats to the discharge operations, which raised the pace of activity inside the port and led to a noticeable abundance in the supply within the fish market. The delegate of maritime fishing clarified that these important quantities came after a relative improvement in the climatic conditions that had affected fishing activity during the past period, highlighting that the abundance of marine products usually has a direct impact on the reference prices for sale within the ports. Regarding prices, Mustafa Aït Ala confirmed that the reference price for sardines yesterday ranged between 6 and 9 dirhams per kilogram, but the large quantities that were discharged today contributed to a greater decrease in the price. Aït Ala pointed out that the reference price for sardines continued to decline during today's transactions, ranging between 4 and 6 dirhams per kilogram, which is a positive indicator that will be reflected in the prices offered in the national markets. The same official affirmed that the port of Sidi Ifni is one of the main suppliers to a number of regions of the Kingdom with significant quantities of sardines and other marine varieties, which makes any increase in the volume of discharge at the port directly reflected on the supply of national markets. The aforementioned speaker also emphasized that these large quantities of fish will revive the economic vitality of the city and the region, by revitalizing commercial movement related to the maritime fishing sector and supplying local and national markets with significant quantities of fish, especially in the month of Ramadan, which sees a noticeable increase in the consumption of marine products. In the same context, Salah Eddine Rachidi, the delegate of maritime fishing in Safi, confirmed that the discharge of fishing boats in the port during the day today, and as of three o'clock in the afternoon, exceeded 367 tons of fish, including about 255 tons of sardines, describing this figure as important and very good compared to the past days, which saw a relative decline in the volume of discharges. The same official clarified that these figures reflect the gradual return of activity to the maritime fishing sector in the region, especially after the relative improvement that the climatic conditions have seen in recent days, which allowed a significant number of fishing boats to resume their trips at sea. The delegate of maritime fishing in Safi also attributed the recorded figure during this day to two main factors: the improvement in weather conditions, which had affected fishing activity in the past, in addition to the return of a number of fishing boats to practice their activity after the end of the biological rest period. Rachidi confirmed that these important quantities of discharges will have a positive impact on the prices of fish sales, both locally and nationally, highlighting that, for example, the reference price for sardines today at the port of Safi was set between 3.20 and 8.20 dirhams per kilogram, which will enhance supply and contribute to lowering prices for the benefit of the consumer. Rachidi stressed in the conclusion of his statement that the continued discharge of significant quantities of fish at the port of Safi in the coming days will contribute to a further decrease in prices, which will enable the Moroccan consumer to purchase fish at very affordable prices during the remainder of the month of Ramadan.
