The demersal fisheries of Mauritaniua in 2003: description of the fleets and assessment of resources: First report of a joint IMROP/RIVO project

Demersal fisheries in the Mauritanian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) are described, with a review of the state of the stocks that are exploited by these fisheries. The assessment of the various stocks is based primarily on the results of the “Groupe de Travail” (GT), held in December 2002 at the Mauritanian fisheries research institute IMROP, Nouadhibou. The conclusions of these assessments are that the octopus stock in the Mauritanian EEZ is overexploited and that fishing effort is about 30% above the optimum level. Shrimps appear to be exploited near their maximum level. Fishing mortality on hake should be reduced, and the fishing effort in the roundfish fleet should not be further increased.