February 4, 2026

 

Over US$1 billion in investment opportunities generated last year as Morocco's aquaculture sector undergoes reform

 

 

Ongoing reforms within Morocco's aquaculture sector helped open up over US$1 billion in investment opportunities in 2025, according to the World Bank.

 

In a recent report, the World Bank said that Morocco is steadily progressing toward achieving 300,000 metric tonnes (MT) of aquaculture production and 30,000 jobs within the sector over the next decade.

 

Driving that steady growth have been carefully crafted aquaculture regulations and government incentives that target potential investors. According to the World Bank, this has elicited interest from private firms and lenders seeking to finance aquaculture operations such as farms, hatcheries, and fish feed production plants, especially along Morocco's coastline.

 

"The country has mapped its most suitable aquaculture zones, built a modern regulatory framework, and strengthened trade links, opening access to global seafood markets," the World Bank said.

 

Financing sources in the recent past to boost Morocco's aquaculture expansion plan have largely come from the government itself through its National Agency for the Development of Aquaculture (ANDA), as well as development partners in such countries as Norway. However, with private sector players getting involved, growth in the sector is expected to grow exponentially.

 

Among several exciting projects that are ready for investors in the country, the World Bank cited SETEXAM, a family-owned company specialising in seaweed production that recently said it is "experimenting with e-commerce to widen our market."

 

"With the right investment, we can scale up production and fully unlock the potential of Morocco's marine resources," SETEXAM Director Rachid Lebar said.

 

The World bank also cited the example of VitaminSea Morocco, a pilot shrimp-farming venture launched as part of the Blue Economy Program for Results, which is a World Bank-supported initiative focused on the development of Morocco's fishing industry, the improvement of integrated management of natural resources, and strengthening selected sectors for a climate-resilient blue economy in targeted areas.

 

VitaminSea Morocco co-Founder Driss Krafess said the company produces approximately 60 MT of shrimp every year, which is consumed within Morocco but is eyeing growth with investment backing.

 

"We can scale up fivefold to 300 MT per year. While we are still importing larvae from the United States, our goal is to establish a full local production unit and position our company as a competitive player in regional and global shrimp markets," Krafess said.

 

Though the sector continues to grow and investors flock to Morocco, the World Bank said challenges still remain, such as production efficiency and scalability constrained by a lack of hatcheries, feed mills, cold storage, and processing facilities.

 

Nevertheless, progress in the sector "is tangible and reforms are underway, with partnerships growing stronger," the bank said.  

 

- SeafoodSource