Fishery Resources in Nabeul Governorate See 60% Decline
The fishery resources in the Nabeul governorate have recorded a decline of nearly 60% compared to previous years, a rate that increases from season to season, according to Fawzi Jerbi, Secretary-General of the Regional Union of Maritime Fishing in Nabeul, in an interview with the TAP.
Causes of Decline
The same source attributed this decline to several factors, including anarchic fishing and lack of surveillance. He called for the effective implementation of biological rest and the granting of corresponding financial subsidies to the owners of white tuna fishing boats (Bousif), numbering around 80 sailors. He emphasized that 1 to 2% of the sailors' revenues are deducted for the biological rest fund, but it is not activated, according to his words.
Agreement with the European Union
He specified that the agreement signed with the European Union since 2009, which imposes a biological rest for white tuna fishing (Bousif) for three months (from January 1 to March 31) each year, and which aims to avoid the capture of small fish, requires financial compensation. This is necessary since sailors lose their source of income during this period.
Importance of Surveillance
Jerbi stressed the importance of intensifying surveillance to preserve marine wealth and protect it from annual decline. According to him, unregulated and uncontrolled exploitation of the sea represents a depletion of fishery resources and threatens the future of future generations. He emphasized the need to organize this sector, which employs around 70,000 sailors, but which, in his estimation, lacks real follow-up and serious surveillance to ensure its sustainability.
Degradation of Port Infrastructure
Jerbi also mentioned the degradation of port infrastructure in the region, particularly the fishing port of Kelibia. The renovation work on this port has been halted since 2020, following the withdrawal of contractors who had begun executing the project in 2019, with a planned completion in 14 months and estimated credits of 25 million dinars.
