Morocco and Russia signed a new four-year agreement, under which Russian vessels will continue to operate in Atlantic waters off Morocco under predetermined quotas and environmental rules, Morocco’s state news agency MAP reported.
The deal, signed in Moscow by Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita and Ilya Shestakov, head of Russia’s Federal Fisheries Agency, replaces a previous accord that expired at the end of 2024.
The new agreement was signed on the sidelines of the eighth Morocco-Russia Intergovernmental Joint Commission, co-chaired by Bourita and Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Patrushev.
Under the agreement, Russian trawlers will be permitted to fish for small pelagic species within designated zones and seasons, subject to annual quotas set by Rabat, MAP said.
The accord also includes measures to protect marine ecosystems, prevent overfishing and combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, MAP said.
The two countries will expand scientific and technical cooperation through joint research programs between Morocco’s National Institute of Fisheries Research and its Russian counterpart.
The deal also provides for training opportunities, including scholarships and internships for Moroccan students in Russian maritime institutions.
Morocco said the agreement aims to boost the local fisheries sector, create jobs for Moroccan sailors aboard Russian vessels and support port development in southern regions. Both sides pledged to deepen cooperation in line with sustainable development goals, MAP added.