The State Secretariat in charge of Fisheries announced on Tuesday the launch of a project aimed at generalizing the use of clay pots in octopus fishing. This initiative is part of the sector’s 2025–2027 roadmap.
According to a statement from the State Secretariat, the project seeks to promote selective and environmentally friendly fishing practices. It also aligns with the Kingdom’s national and international commitments to combating plastic pollution in the oceans and preserving marine biodiversity and coastal ecosystems.
The project builds on the positive results of an experimental phase carried out in 2025 in the Dakhla region, in partnership with professionals from the sector, who were involved in designing the prototype. Tests conducted under the supervision of the National Institute of Fisheries Research demonstrated the effectiveness of clay pots, with performance comparable to that of plastic devices.
The success of the generalization largely depends on fishermen’s adherence and the gradual abandonment of plastic pots. The statement highlights that their involvement from the experimental phase, along with the rollout of local initiatives in several regions, are key drivers of the project’s success.
The first phase includes a subsidy of 1.5 million dirhams to support the acquisition of clay pots for artisanal fishermen at the Imoutlane fishing site in the Dakhla region. The initiative will then be extended to other sites in the region, before being gradually rolled out across the entire Kingdom.
