Tunisia is preparing to take a major step in its environmental preservation policy. The authorities are currently finalizing the creation of the country’s first official marine and coastal reserves, a project to protect the most fragile ecosystems from biodiversity erosion, the effects of climate change and the multiple pressures exerted by human activities.
Invited on Express FM on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, Mehdi Belhadj, Director General in charge of the management of administrative affairs at the Agence de protection et d’aménagement du littoral (Apal), confirmed that the necessary regulatory texts had already been transmitted to the services of the Presidency of the Government and should be published soon in the Official Journal.
This initiative is part of a context where the preservation of marine environments has become a global issue. Scientists have been warning for several years about the gradual disappearance of many animal and plant species, a direct consequence of pollution, overexploitation of natural resources and climate change.
For Mehdi Belhadj, Tunisia cannot stay away from this international dynamic. The future legal system will make it possible to grant enhanced protection status to several marine and coastal areas considered as essential reservoirs of biodiversity.
Beyond their ecological scope, these new protected areas should also strengthen the country’s environmental credibility on the international stage.
The official recognition of these protected areas is not only a conservation issue. It also represents a strategic lever to attract international funding for ecosystem protection, scientific research and sustainable development, according to Mehdi Belhadj.
In a context where international donors are increasingly conditioning their financing on the existence of ambitious environmental policies, the establishment of marine reserves could allow Tunisia to mobilize more resources for the sustainable management of its coastline.
These protected areas will also be able to promote the development of responsible ecotourism, while contributing to the reconstitution of fish stocks, on which a significant part of the coastal economy depends.
The authorities have already identified several areas with exceptional ecological wealth. Among the sites currently in the running are the Galite Islands, off the north of Tunisia, known for their remarkable marine habitats, as well as the Zembra and Zembretta Islands, located off Cape Bon, which are home to a unique Mediterranean biodiversity.
The project also concerns the Kuriat Islands, off Monastir, renowned in particular for their role in the reproduction of sea turtles, as well as the Kneiss Islands, in the governorate of Sfax, considered one of the main sanctuaries of migratory birds in the region.
One of these four areas should become the country’s first official marine reserve, even if the final choice remains dependent on ongoing consultations with several administrations, including the Ministries of Agriculture and Defense.
The government does not intend to stop at this first step. Mehdi Belhadj announced that other projects would already be finalized.
The authorities are working in particular on the protection of the Kerkennah Islands, from Ras Rmel to Djerba and Cap Negro, in the northwest of the country. These sites should gradually integrate a national strategy for the protection of marine and coastal areas.
This approach aims to eventually build a real network of nature reserves covering the main Tunisian marine ecosystems.
source : business news
