Morocco will suspend exports of frozen sardines starting February 1 to safeguard local supplies and keep prices stable, Zakia Driouich, the cabinet member in charge of fisheries, said.
Sardines are a key part of Moroccan diets, and the country is the world’s leading exporter of the fish, benefiting from its extensive Atlantic and Mediterranean coastlines.
The decision was prompted by a noticeable drop in supply, Driouich told members of parliament late on Tuesday, though she did not say how long the ban would last, as seen on Reuters.
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She added that pelagic species like sardines make up about 80% of Morocco’s coastal fish resources, compared with 20% for white fish.
In June, the national canned-sardine industry (UNICOP) had called on authorities to take action against illegal fishing after reporting declining catches. Official data shows that Morocco’s sardine landings fell 46% in 2024, dropping to 525,000 metric tons.
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Image Credit: The Independent
