The fishery and aquaculture sectors affected by the COVID-19 crisis in the Maghreb

According to five national reports prepared by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Subregional Office for North Africa, the Maghreb fishery and aquaculture sectors experienced a significant decline in activity in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The reports are based on a survey conducted in four Maghreb countries: Algeria, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia, which all experienced a drop in production and income in 2020. The reports also showed that consumption shifted towards canned, frozen and processed fish at the expense of fresh products, especially at the beginning of the pandemic. This consumer behaviour impacted fish demand and prices.

Preliminary analysis of the impact of COVID-19 on the fishery and aquaculture sectors in Tunisia

The fishing and aquaculture industries have been affected by disrupted production and obstacles to marketing. Following the suspension of certain activities, the production volumes of fisheries and aquaculture declined. In Tunisia, fishery production reached 36 000 tonnes in May 2020, compared to 54 000 tonnes for the same period of 2019;a drop of 33 percent according to the Directorate General of Fisheries and Aquaculture (the May report of the Directorate General of Fisheries and Aquaculture). The reopening of fishing during the month of April, and the gradual resumption of activities, have improved the situation to some extent.