New Lines Magazine -
The Sardines at the Heart of the Sahrawi Conflict
> Western Sahara’s coasts provide nearly 73% of Morocco’s annual coastal and artisanal catches, according to the most recent governmental data in 2020 — the equivalent of 63% of Morocco’s national total. Its waters, extending to the Spanish Canary Islands, contain some of the best fish stocks in the region. As of 2020, 104 of the 196 fish-freezing companies registered in Morocco are in fact based in Western Sahara.
In Essaouira, a fisherman unloads sardines from an overnight catch. (Kang-Chun Cheng)
