Five Moroccan regions will be affected by the health classification services of shellfish growing areas. According to the National Fisheries Research Institute, the studies in question constitute a mandatory and regulated step in the monitoring of classified shellfish production areas.
It is in five Moroccan regions that the National Fisheries Research Institute (INRH) will launch health classification services for shellfish growing areas. These are Marrakech Safi, Souss-Massa, Guelmim-Oued Noun, Lâayoune-Sakia Lhamra and Dakhla-Oued Eddahab.
Indeed, the typology of the aquaculture offer in Morocco is spread over three sectors, namely shellfish farming, seaweed farming and fish farming.
According to the INRH, studies for the health classification of shellfish farming areas constitute an obligatory and regulated step in the monitoring of classified shellfish production areas. They are carried out in accordance with the provisions of Order 1950-17 of the Ministry of Agriculture, Maritime Fisheries, Rural Development and Water and Forests, relating to the health classification of maritime shellfish production zones. Their objective is to study the oceanographic and sanitary conditions of the target areas in order to establish their health status, through monitoring of microbiological (fortnightly) and chemical (quarterly) characteristics, over an annual cycle.
The study spread over four seasons
The overall project for the installation of monitoring structures for the health classification of potential areas for shellfish farming in the aforementioned regions will be defined in agreement with the INRH, based on bathymetry data (height of the water column), local currentology and the nature of the bottom. These monitoring points will be placed so as to cover the entire area subject to health classification within these zones.
As part of this program led by INRH, the area study, which should mobilize 3.4 million dirhams, is spread over a minimum of four seasons. As for sampling for monitoring microbiological contaminants, it begins at least two weeks after the introduction of the biological material into the water and three months for monitoring chemical contaminants.
In detail, the installation, maintenance and sampling of the molds will concern 18 sectors spread over several areas, notably Tifnit, R’kou Safi, Tarfaya, El Argoub and Tan-Tan. In addition, a representative sample is constituted by randomly collecting a certain number of shells of similar size in different locations of the sampling unit at the sampling location concerned as part of the collection and storage of samples before delivery.
Aquaculture: 200 farms already installed
Furthermore, it should be noted that with a production which should ultimately exceed 124,000 tonnes per year in Morocco, some 200 aquaculture farms have emerged for the year 2024 in the different regions of the Kingdom, and this, in accordance with the aquaculture development plans launched by ANDA.
In detail, the equivalent of 322 agreements for the creation and operation of aquaculture farms were published in the Official Bulletin, according to Zakia Driouich, Secretary of State to the Minister of Agriculture, Maritime Fisheries and Rural Development. and Water and Forests, responsible for maritime fishing. This is what she indicated at the end of the board of directors of the National Agency for the Development of Aquaculture (ANDA).
Yassine Saber / ECO Inspirations
