Morocco's National Agency for the Development of Aquaculture (ANDA) has officially launched the strategic environmental assessment for three regional aquaculture development plans. The plans concern the regions of Laâyoune-Sakia El Hamra, Marrakech-Safi, and Casablanca-Settat.
The agency has allocated a total budget of 1.5 million Moroccan dirhams (approximately $150,000 USD) to fund the environmental evaluation process. This step is a mandatory part of the planning framework to ensure sustainable development of the aquaculture sector.
The strategic environmental assessment will analyze the potential impacts of proposed aquaculture projects on local ecosystems, water resources, and biodiversity. Its findings will guide the final approval and implementation of the development plans.
This initiative is part of Morocco's broader 'Halieutis' strategy, which aims to significantly increase aquaculture production, create jobs, and boost exports by 2030. The launch of these assessments marks a progression in the administrative process for these regional blue economy plans.
