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

ABSTRACT

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.