RABAT, June 24 (Xinhua) -- The Moroccan House of Representatives unanimously adopted on Monday the new fisheries deal signed on Jan. 19, between Morocco and the EU.
The lower house also adopted the protocol for the implementation of the agreement and the related exchange of letters, signed in Brussels.
The new agreement comes after the previous four-year deal expired on July 14 last year, forcing some 120 European vessels to leave the Moroccan waters.
According to the new agreement, Morocco will get 52.2 million euros (59.5 million U.S. dollars) annually, up from 40 million euros in the previous deal, for allowing the EU vessels to fish in its waters.
Under this agreement, the two parties undertake to develop sustainable fishing in the fishing zone on the basis of the principle of non-discrimination between the various fleets fishing in these waters.
The level of compulsory landings and fishing categories remain unchanged compared with the former deal, while the number of vessels concerned by the new agreement would reach 128.
The deal, which only concerns Morocco's Atlantic coasts, excludes the Mediterranean coast to preserve its over exploited resources.
It also excludes octopuses and shrimps to preserve these species.
