Environmental Concerns in Soliman: Investigation into Fish Deaths and Sea Color Change
The Minister of Environment, Habib Abid, inspected the coastal area of Soliman in the Nabeul governorate on Sunday, following the discovery of a significant number of dead fish on Friday, September 19, 2025. Photos of the incident circulated on social media and among environmental advocates, as confirmed by Souad Chetouti, coordinator of the "Environment and Development" association in Soliman, to the Tunisian news agency TAP.
Investigation into Fish Deaths
Regarding the fish deaths, Chetouti stated that the quantities found were "between the mouths of the Soltane and El Bey wadis and were small, but this requires verifying the causes, especially after noting that all the wadi openings on the side of the Slimane sebkha leading to the sea were closed." She emphasized that local authorities, who have been monitoring the phenomenon since being informed of the fish deaths, have taken necessary measures. A committee composed of the Regional Directorate of Coastal Protection, the National Institute of Marine Sciences, the Regional Directorate of Health, the National Agency for Environmental Protection, and security services inspected the situation on this coastal strip and collected samples of dead fish, seawater, sand water, and wadi water at three locations along the coast: at the mouth of the Soltane wadi, El Bey wadi, and Bazykh wadi.
Analysis and Next Steps
Chetouti specified that the services of the National Institute of Marine Sciences and the National Agency for Environmental Protection have committed to conducting the necessary analyses to determine the causes of the fish deaths. She confirmed that the services of the Slimane municipality collected the dead fish, covered them with a layer of lime, and buried them in accordance with established procedures.
Comparison to Previous Incidents
The coordinator of the Environment and Development association in Soliman ruled out the possibility that the causes of the recent fish deaths are similar to those that also caused fish deaths in June 2025, as the quantities of dead fish are low compared to those recorded in June, especially since the openings of the El Bey, Soltane, and Bazykh wadis towards the Slimane sebkha leading to the sea remain closed.
Concerns about Sea Color Change
On the other hand, Chetouti indicated that the most pressing issue today is "the observation of a change in the color of the sea in Slimane, which has become brown," which requires a scientific explanation based on the results of the samples, especially since "the change in sea color occurred after a quiet summer where residents and those from neighboring regions enjoyed the sea and beaches of Slimane." She hypothesized that the change in sea color could be due to "a change in the direction of the winds blowing from the south (Ben Arous), which could have transported pollution to the Soliman region."
