Abstract
Cost production and profitability analysis was performed for a marine fish farm, located in M’diq Bay, in Morocco. Currently, it is the alone farm in operation on Moroccan Mediterranean cost while three others had been ceased their activity. Created in 1998, it has experienced three main periods during its history, start-up period, followed by a crisis period followed by a recovery period on which the present study has been focused on. Production costs analysis has shown financial results yielding a very low profitability (0.24%). Two main constraints were found to be relevant, one environmental related to the weak local annual seawater temperature profile (18°C in average, 14-21°C in range) and the other technical related to feed and fingerlings management. The use of SGR and TGC tools, based on real growing and production data, have allowed to establish suitable start-up date for annual batches. Feed and fingerlings constraints have analysed in order to contribute in production costs improvement. Results showed that total costs could be reduced and profitability improved following pertinent inputs management optimization, marketing strategies improvement and production plan adjustment. Support measures provided by public powers offer suitable opportunity to improve farm’s financial results.
Highlights
Despite Moroccan marine fisheries has reached a total annual amount of about 1.5 million tons in recent years, marine aquaculture is still facing development constraints and sustainability problem, suitable sites availability
Unlike some European countries, Moroccan Government did not give any subsidies to aquaculture farms
The distance between the farm site and the local harbour is about 1.6 km. This bay still represents the only exploited site for Moroccan marine fish culture. It is located in the west part of Moroccan Mediterranean coast, between Sebta Cape (35°54'N, 5°17'10"W) and Negro Cape (35°40'N, 5°16'40"W)
Summary
Despite Moroccan marine fisheries has reached a total annual amount of about 1.5 million tons in recent years, marine aquaculture is still facing development constraints and sustainability problem, suitable sites availability. The lack of substantial support, mainly in terms of incentive measures, represent a major bottleneck affecting aquaculture development. Investors seemed to be fear about domestic marketing risks because aquaculture products still not welly perceived by domestic consumers. Unlike some European countries, Moroccan Government did not give any subsidies to aquaculture farms. Shellfish culture has started in Morocco since the fifties in Oualidia lagoon on Atlantic coast and marine fish culture has begun in the late of eighties in Nador lagoon on Mediterranean coast.
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