The collapse of the EU-Morocco fishing agreement has severely impacted Spain’s fishing industry, leaving Spanish fleets facing a “bleak future,” according to a report from Spanish media outlet Okdiario.
The agreement, which expired on July 17, 2023, had allowed European Union fishing fleets, including those from Spain, to operate in Moroccan waters. In return, Morocco received financial compensation totaling 208.7 million euros over a four-year period.
Despite the Spanish government’s pledge of financial aid to mitigate the fallout, industry leaders say that support has yet to materialize.
“The government is failing to honor its commitments,” said a spokesperson for the Andalusian Federation of Fishing Associations (Faape). “They promised financial support for the Barbate fleet following the loss of this historic agreement with Morocco. We’re still waiting for them to deliver on that promise.”
The situation follows a 2021 ruling by the EU Court of Justice, which favored the Polisario Front, a separatist group claiming that the EU’s agreement with Morocco was made without the consent of the Sahrawi people. This legal complication has exacerbated the difficulties faced by Spanish fishermen, who are now calling for direct financial aid to compensate for lost income.
“There are no indications that direct aid for the loss of fishing grounds will be provided, despite it being included in the aid orders we’ve requested,” Faape representatives explained.
Spanish fleets held 92 out of the 138 licenses operating in the affected area, specifically those from Andalusia, Galicia, and the Canary Islands, according to Spanish media reports.