Cost and profitability analysis for a seabass production farm in Morocco

¹ National Institute of Fisheries Research (INRH), Aquaculture Centre, M’diq, Morocco (Former researcher).
² Faculty of Sciences and Technics, University of Abdelmalek Essaadi, Tangier, Morocco.
³ Marine Fish Farm « Aquam’diq », M’diq, Morocco.

^* Corresponding author: nhhalahassan@yahoo.fr

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.