Risk of soaring fish prices due to bad weather

By Khalil Rachdi on 01/19/2023 at 10:23 p.m. (updated on 01/19/2023 at 10:25 p.m.)

Kiosk360. In bad weather, fishermen are forced to suspend their activities in the south of the Kingdom. A situation that benefits intermediaries who increase prices on the markets. This article is a press review of Al Ahdath Al Maghribia.

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From Agadir to the extreme south of the Kingdom, the sea is confronted with bad weather, commonly called “Mauveta” by fishermen. Faced with this observation, a group of port authorities announced the suspension of all fishing activity in the Atlantic, reports the daily. Al Ahdath Al Maghribia in its January 20 issue.

Thus, seafarers, owners and operators of fishing vessels are requested to suspend their maritime activities until further notice. According to the Arabic-speaking newspaper, this decision is explained by the weather forecast which announces a rough sea, strong to very strong in the north of Tarfaya and agitated in the south. Big waves, four to five meters, are also expected.

This decision has put fishermen out of work since January 18. The captaincy of the port of Tarfaya has announced the closure of the port to maritime navigation, both at the entrance and at the exit, to preserve the safety of sailors. According to Al Ahdath Al Maghribiathis decision came into effect on January 18 and will be extended until further notice.

Other captaincies have taken the same decision, like the port of El Ouatia. According to the professionals surveyed by the newspaper, these suspensions of activities will lead to the scarcity of fish on the market, in particular sardines. And who says scarcity also says rising prices, according to the principle of supply and demand. According to the same sources, a surge in fish and seafood prices is to be expected.

If the fishermen of the region are now unemployed, the situation paradoxically benefits the intermediaries on the fish sales markets. The latter take advantage of the scarcity of fish to increase prices. It is therefore expected that the price of sardines, but also of shrimp, squid, sole, sepia and sea bream, will increase considerably in the coming days.