the valorization of fish products sector sprawls on other activities as well like fish smoking, fish salting, fish drying, shrimps hulling, cooked dishes preparation as well as marine algae treatment.
In addition to the basic sectors, the valorization of fish products sector sprawls on other activities as well like fish smoking, fish salting, fish drying, shrimps hulling and cooked dishes preparation.
Dried, salted, smoked or marinated fish
In 2012, the number of hulling units was 11 mainly positioned in Tangier and Nador.
The number of fish smoking units was four, located in Nador, Casablanca, Marrakech and Essaouira.
The number of drying units was two: one in Mohammedia and one in Agadir specializing in the drying of mussels.
A unit in Casablanca specializes in the manufacturing of charcuterie based on frozen fish surimi.
These 18 units processed 1,750 tons of source materials and produced 1,663 tons of salted, dried, smoked or marinated seafood products.
In 2012, the export of these products reached a value of 52 million dhs.
The Destinations of the exports:
The main destinations of smoked, dryed, salted or marinated seafood products
Marine algae
In Morocco, the seaweed farming is an important socio-economic activity. It involves a certain population essentially related to the collecting of algae that belongs to the Gelidium family. The seaweed is harvested during summer (The harvesting is allowed from early July to late September).
The industrial exploitation of marine algae in Morocco started in El Jadida in 1948. It was oriented towards the export of agar-agar food, mainly extracted from the Gélidium sesquipedale, the Gelidium spinulosum and the Pterocladia capilacea species. The Gélidium sesquipedale alone accounts for 90% of the collecting of treated seaweed, it is the most interesting agarophyte in order to extract a pwerfuly gellant agar-agar. Morocco is currently the 3rd world producer of agar agar.
Statistical data
This activity generates more than 10,000 job openings throughout the cities of El Jadida, Safi and Essaouira.
Since 1960, a single company based in Kenitra is specialized in the collecting of seaweed and the production of high quality agar agar. In 2012, it produced 937 tons of agar-agar for a value of 206 million dirhams.
Other algae species that do not qualify in the agar production are exported in their raw state. In 2012 the volume exported was 3692 tons.