Halieutis Strategy: Two shark species banned from fishing for 5 years10/09/2020 Fishing for silky shark (Carcharhinus falciformis) and porbeagle shark (Lamna nasus) in Moroccan maritime waters is provisionally prohibited following an order recently published in the Official Bulletin.
Initialed by the Minister of Agriculture, Maritime Fisheries, Rural Development and Water and Forests, this new decision was taken after consultation with the National Institute for Fisheries Research (INRH) and the Chambers of Maritime Fisheries. It comes to ensure the sustainability of these two vulnerable maritime species and to respect the Kingdom's commitments to RFMOs (Regional Fisheries Management Organizations).
In details, and according to this decree published in Official Bulletin Nº 6910 of August 20, fishing for shark species called silky shark and porbeagle shark is prohibited in Moroccan maritime waters for a period of five (5) years. The latter adds that the National Fisheries Research Institute may be authorized during the above-mentioned prohibition period to practice fishing for these two species in Moroccan maritime waters, with a view to taking samples, in accordance with its program of Scientific Research. The authorization referred to above shall determine in particular its period of validity, the authorized sampling sites, the fishing gears that may be used and the number of pieces of the species indicated in Article 1 above that may be taken. The reference of this authorization shall be entered on the fishing license issued to the National Institute for Fisheries Research (INRH) for this purpose.
As a reminder, since the launching of a vast development plan for the fishing sector called Halieutis, a series of measures have been taken to ensure the sustainability of this fish, which is now threatened with extinction, with, in this case, the adoption of a conservation plan for the shark fishery, the objective of which is the preservation of these species. The management measures established concern the conservation and management of these species, monitoring the fishing activities of vessels incidentally catching them and establishing commercial traceability of liver oils and shark fins. These measures relate to the protection of shark stocks which are located at the top of the trophic chain and which participate in the regulation of the marine ecosystem, as well as the prohibition of the targeting of bottom and surface shark species, and also the prohibition of fishing, keeping on board, transshipment, landing, storage and sale of part or all of the carcass of the following 3 species: hammerhead shark, oceanic shark, and shark big eyed fox.
In addition, the prohibition of processing and handling on board of bottom and surface shark species, including the extraction of livers and the removal of fins (finning), and also the identification of sharks caught by species (breakdown by species) instead of grouping all species landed in the group "Sharks and Squalidae ".