• Agreement sets quotas, zones, and ecosystem protection measures
• Russia eyes 80,000-ton catch; Morocco earned $1.7B from fish exports
  

Morocco and Russia signed a new four-year maritime fisheries cooperation agreement in Moscow on Friday, October 17. The signing took place on the sidelines of the 8th Joint Intergovernmental Commission, which was co-chaired by Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita and Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Patrushev.

On the occasion of the 8th session of the Morocco–Russia Intergovernmental Joint Commission, MFA Nasser Bourita, and Russia's Head of the Federal Agency for Fishery, Mr. Ilya Shestakov signed a new cooperation agreement on fisheries pic.twitter.com/TKOcNxZxzQ

— Moroccan Diplomacy ?? (@Marocdiplo_EN) October 17, 2025

The new instrument replaces a previous agreement that expired on December 31, 2024. Local media reported that the agreement establishes the legal framework authorizing Russian vessels to operate in Moroccan Atlantic waters. It also sets out specific catch quotas, regulated fishing zones and periods, and measures for protecting the marine ecosystem.

The accord emphasizes preventing overfishing, combating illegal fishing, and strengthening scientific cooperation between Morocco's National Institute for Fisheries Research (INRH) and its Russian counterpart. Although details on the authorized catch quotas were not disclosed, the Russian side had targeted a volume of 80,000 tons in March.

Morocco generated nearly $1.7 billion from its shipments of fresh or frozen fishery products on the international market in 2024, according to data compiled on the TradeMap platform. Spain was the leading buyer, accounting for 54% of sales. Other key markets included Italy (17.4%), Japan (5.4%), Côte d'Ivoire (3.4%), Portugal (3.4%), Ghana (2.7%), Mali (1.4%), Greece (1.2%), and Russia (1%).

Stéphanas Assocle