Morocco’s National Institute for Fisheries Research (INRH) has launched a new research vessel, Ibn Sina II, worth MAD 34 million (USD 3.38 million, EUR 3.08 million) to improve its fisheries data collection. The vessel, equipped with two biological and chemical analysis laboratories, is part of Morocco's larger initiative to develop a sustainable fisheries policy. The fisheries sector, which contributes 1.5% to the GDP and provides 700,000 jobs, is crucial to Morocco's economy. The European Union, which imports nearly 58% of Morocco’s seafood exports, supported the funding for the vessel.