Morocco–Russia Atlantic fishing agreements: Moroccan territorial sovereignty affirmed across all its Saharan provinces
The maritime fishing agreement linking the Kingdom of Morocco and the Russian Federation is now entering a decisive operational phase, marked by the launch on the Russian side of the official procedure for allocating fishing quotas in Moroccan Atlantic waters. By explicitly integrating the entire national coastline, including that of the Southern Provinces, its concrete implementation unequivocally affirms the effective exercise of Moroccan sovereignty over its maritime spaces and places the exploitation of fisheries resources within a rigorous, transparent and sustainable legal framework.
The Russian Federal Agency for Fisheries has thus announced the opening of the application period for Russian companies wishing to benefit from the quotas provided for in the agreement signed on 17 October. This phase, which will run from 12 to 30 January 2026, sets a clear and standardized timetable, guaranteeing equal access and transparency of the process. The quotas concerned apply exclusively to pelagic species, sardine, sardinella, mackerel, horse mackerel and anchovy, within a logic of controlled resource management and preservation of marine biological balances.
The allocation procedure is governed by strict rules. Any inaccurate or incomplete information leads to automatic exclusion from the process, and selected companies will be required to comply scrupulously with the Moroccan regulations in force, both on technical and environmental levels. This mechanism confirms that access to Moroccan fisheries resources falls under a precise legal framework, based on objective criteria, far removed from any informal or politicized approach.
For Morocco, the scope of this agreement goes far beyond the economic dimension. By covering the entire Atlantic coastline of the Kingdom, including that of the Moroccan Sahara, the text de facto affirms Rabat’s full and complete sovereignty over its territorial waters and its strategic resources. It also provides for mechanisms of scientific and technical cooperation aimed at ensuring stock monitoring, strengthening the sustainability of catches and combating illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.
This development forms part of a broader strategy to diversify and secure Morocco’s international partnerships in the fisheries sector. In the face of growing environmental challenges and geopolitical uncertainties that have affected certain traditional partnerships, the Kingdom favors firmly regulated agreements that reconcile economic development, the protection of marine ecosystems and the affirmation of national sovereignty over all its maritime spaces.
Through this partnership with Russia, Morocco once again asserts its position as a responsible and sovereign manager of its fisheries resources. By placing sustainability, transparency and respect for the law at the heart of quota exploitation, the Kingdom strengthens its credibility on the international stage and consolidates its position in global debates on ocean governance and the protection of marine resources.
Editorial team/le7tv
