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The global coastal fleet accounts for a large percentage of the total catch in the world and employs a large number of fishermen (Béné, 2005;). At the national, local, and individual levels in developing countries, coastal fisheries often have the potential to contribute to coastal development, and food security, and make a substantial socio-economic contribution to society (Béné et al., et al., 2007; Garcia et al., 20082007; Garcia et al., 2008).
In the Mediterranean Sea, the coastal fleet consists of 42,000 vessels using different gears and different landing ports, reflecting an important socio-economic role in coastal communities (Morales-Nin et al., 2010; Maynouet al., 2013) and providing nearly 100,000 jobs (Maynou et al., 2013). Coastal fishing is defined as the type of fishing activity conducted by wooden boats of 16-24 m (Viðarsson et al., 2015). This activity uses purse seiners to target pelagic species, uses longliners to target demersal species as well as drift nets and bottom trawlers (Keznine et al., 2021).
In Morocco, the coastal fleet is composed of 1,802 vessels: 437 longliners, 697 purse seiners and 660 trawlers, respectively, distributed in 19 ports (DPM, 2019). The coastal fisheries play an important role in the Moroccan economy, by contributing to national income, employment and foreign exchange, and in providing employment to a large number of fishermen and their families. This sector provided direct employment to about 7,800 people in 1998 (INRH, 1998), and 54,511 in 2019 (DPM, 2019). The coastal fishery makes this sector a real driver of the country's economic and social development (Pitcher & Rojo-Diaz, 2005). It has undergone a significant evolution improving its contribution to the national economy which reached 2.3% of GDP in 2000 (Nejar, 2002). It has an important development potential, especially since it captures species that have a high commercial value that are exported primarily to foreign markets (M'rabet & El Farissi, 2011). The coastal fishery the essential part of the consumer market (Timothy & Dalzell, 1994). In this regard, and due to the widely consumed fishes it produces (sardines, anchovies, etc.), this activity plays an important role in eliminating hunger and ensuring food security, and as such is included in the second objective of sustainable development (FAO, 2003).