Mauritania's second seasonal closure of 2026 for octopus and other cephalopod fishing took effect on Saturday, 10 October. It covers artisanal, coastal and industrial fishing.
The fisheries ministry said the decision was based on a scientific assessment of the cephalopod fishery by the Mauritanian Institute for Oceanographic and Fisheries Research, IMROP. Certain activities, including fishing for crustaceans, black hake and pink spiny lobster, are exempt under conditions set by the ministry.
The closure is intended to give marine stocks time to recover and limit their depletion. A date for resuming fishing will be set on the basis of scientific findings and the applicable regulatory procedures.
