Ahmad 
Experts confirmed that the failure to renew the fishing agreement between Morocco and the European Union is due to the conditions set by Morocco, which include recognition of its sovereignty over the Moroccan Sahara.
The agreement, which expired in July 2023, allowed European vessels to fish in Moroccan waters in exchange for financial compensation, but it was cancelled by a decision of the European Court of Justice in 2021 because it included the waters of the Sahara.
Morocco requires recognition of its sovereignty over the Sahara to renew the agreements and believes that the problem lies in the lawsuits filed by associations affiliated with Algeria.
Morocco is demanding the development of conditions for protecting the biological rest periods of fish, increasing its revenues from the agreement, preventing the fishing of some species, and unloading ships’ cargo in Moroccan ports.
The losses affect many countries, especially Spain, which relies heavily on fishing in Moroccan waters, as the Spanish fleet constitutes the largest proportion of European vessels benefiting, and the Spanish government compensates the affected fishermen, which constitutes an economic and social burden on it.
In addition to Europe, Morocco is linked by fishing agreements with countries such as Russia and Japan that include the southern regions.
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