• Morocco joined the Global Marine Commodities 2 (GMC2)program to promote sustainable fisheries and responsible marine supply chains.

• The initiative targets small pelagic fisheries such as sardines and anchovies, key resources for Morocco’s fishing industry.

• Moroccan sardine landings fell 46% between 2022 and 2024, highlighting growing pressure on fish stocks.

Morocco officially joined the Global Marine Commodities 2 (GMC2)project on March 10, according to a statement published on the website of the Moroccan Secretariat of State for Maritime Fisheries.

The five-year program operates under the leadership of the United Nations Development Programmeand receives funding from the Global Environment Facility. The initiative already operates in five other countries: Mauritania, Senegal, Ecuador, Guatemalaand Panama.

The program aims to promote sustainable marine fisheries and encourage responsible exploitation of fishery resources across participating countries.

The program relies on the technical expertise of the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP), an organization that promotes sustainable fishing practices and the development of responsible marine supply chains.

“The GMC2 project draws on the technical expertise of the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP), which specializes in promoting sustainable fishing practices and developing marine supply chains. In particular, it aims to integrate environmental sustainability and social responsibility requirements into marine supply chains, while strengthening marine fisheries governance and increasing the value of products from sustainable fishing practices," the statement said.

In Morocco, the program focuses on small pelagic fisheries, particularly sardines and anchovies. Authorities plan to strengthen the sustainability of these fisheries and promote the consumption of products sourced from responsible supply chains.

In addition, the initiative aims to improve the availability and transparency of scientific and technical information on fish stock conditions. Authorities also plan to reinforce regional cooperation in research and in the management of shared fish stocks.

The program carries strategic importance as mounting pressure continues to affect marine resources in Morocco. In June 2025, the National Union of Fish Canning Industries (UNICOP) warned about the decline of fish resources, particularly sardines, which represent 85% of Morocco’s small pelagic species.

UNICOP cited data from the Office national des pêchesshowing that sardine landings fell 46% in two years, dropping from 965,000 tons in 2022 to 525,000 tons in 2024.

The organization attributed the decline to several factors, including the capture of juvenile fish, ineffective measures against illegal fishing and biological rest periods that stakeholders considered poorly adapted.

Growing International Partnerships

Morocco’s participation in the GMC2 program forms part of a broader series of international initiatives aimed at strengthening sustainable fisheries management.

In February 2025, the Moroccan Confederation of Industrial Pelagic Fishing Shipowners (COMAIP) signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ministerial Conference on Fisheries Cooperation among African States Bordering the Atlantic Ocean (COMHAFAT).

The agreement seeks to harmonize sustainable fishing practices across Africa. COMHAFAT brings together 21 African coastal states.

Earlier, in 2023, Morocco also provided scientific expertise to assess fish stocks in Benin, Liberiaand Côte d’Ivoire.

Authorities carried out this work within agreements signed during the high-level conference of the Blue Belt Initiative. The initiative aims to develop conservation strategies and sustainable management policies for fisheries resources.

These initiatives highlight the growing importance of sustainable fisheries management as pressure on fish stocks pushes African coastal states to strengthen governance mechanisms.

Data compiled by the Food and Agriculture Organizationshow that Morocco recorded 1.39 million tons of fish catches in 2023.

This volume represented 13.2% of Africa’s total fish supply, which reached 10.5 million tonsthat year.

This article was initially published in French by Stéphanas Assocle

Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum