Octopus is the most valuable species in Moroccan fisheries. For an importer or wholesaler, knowing its fishing calendar is essential: it determines available volumes, sizes and prices. Here is how the octopus season works in Morocco.
Where is octopus caught in Morocco?
The common octopus (Octopus vulgaris) is mainly caught on the southern Atlantic coast, between Agadir, Tan-Tan, Laayoune, Boujdour and Dakhla. Three fleets share the resource: artisanal fishing (small boats using pots or jigs), coastal fishing, and offshore fishing with freezer vessels that freeze the octopus on board.
Two campaigns a year
Octopus fishing is organised in two annual campaigns:
- The winter campaign, which usually starts at the beginning of the year.
- The summer campaign, which usually resumes during the summer.
In between, fishing is closed during biological rest periods, which protect spawning and the growth of young octopus. Opening and closing dates, as well as each fleet's quota, are set every year by the Department of Maritime Fisheries, based on scientific assessments by the National Institute of Fisheries Research (INRH). They can therefore change from one year to the next.
What impact on prices and sizes?
At the start of a campaign, landings are high and sizes are often varied. During closures, only frozen octopus in stock is available. Prices depend on quota levels, the abundance of the resource and demand from major markets such as Spain, Italy and Japan. Octopus is usually graded by unit weight, in kilograms per piece: the heavier the piece, the higher the price per kilo.
Our tips for buying Moroccan octopus
- Plan your needs before the campaigns open to secure the volumes and sizes you want.
- Specify the presentation you need: whole or cleaned, IQF or in blocks, and the packaging.
- Work with an ONSSA-approved facility that controls the cold chain and provides the export documents.
FRIGO EL JAOUHARI sorts, grades and freezes Moroccan Atlantic octopus in Agadir. Contact us to find out what will be available in the next campaign.