A hopeful scene for the protection of marine biodiversity was widely relayed on social networks on Sunday, July 12, 2026. A video published on Facebook shows the rescue of two sea turtles found stuck in fishing nets off the beach of Sidi El Mehresi, in the governorate of Nabeul.
According to the images and videos released, citizens present at the scene intervened to free the two animals, trapped in abandoned or drifting fishing gear. Their intervention allowed the turtles to regain their freedom and return to the sea.
This simple but decisive gesture reminds once again of the impact of human activities on marine fauna and the importance of collective vigilance in the face of the dangers that threaten protected species.
Frequent victims of fishing nets
Sea turtles are among the species most exposed to fishing-related accidental catches. In the Mediterranean, the caouanne turtle (Caretta caretta) is the most frequently observed species in Tunisian waters. In particular, it uses the coastal areas of the country to feed itself and some Tunisian beaches as laying sites.
Fishing nets, when lost at sea or left unattended, can become real traps. Turtles trapped there are at risk of drowning, because they must regularly rise to the surface to breathe.
In addition to fishing gear, these marine reptiles are also threatened by plastic pollution, collisions with boats, the degradation of coastal habitats and climate change that affects in particular their breeding areas
An essential role in marine balance
Beyond their ecological and heritage value, sea turtles play an important role in maintaining the balance of oceanic ecosystems.
Some species contribute in particular to controlling the populations of jellyfish, which are an important part of their diet. By consuming these organisms, turtles naturally participate in the regulation of their presence in the marine environment.
They also contribute to the proper functioning of marine food chains and the overall health of coastal ecosystems. Their disappearance could therefore cause imbalances affecting several other species.
Good reflexes in case of meeting
Faced with a sea turtle in difficulty, specialists recommend adopting certain behaviors to avoid causing it more damage, such as not brutally shooting at a turtle stuck in a net, because this could cause serious injuries; avoid handling it unnecessarily or turning it on its back, a position that can be dangerous to it; alert specialized services or competent environmental associations in case of injured or weakened animals; never abandon waste, especially plastics, on beaches or at sea, because they represent a direct threat to marine fauna; and report abandoned fishing nets or dangerous devices spotted at sea.
The rescue carried out in Sidi El Mehresi illustrates the importance of citizen mobilization in the protection of natural heritage. Faced with the many pressures on the oceans, each intervention can make a difference.
Because behind each turtle saved, it is also a reminder of collective responsibility towards a fragile marine environment on which the ecological balance depends, but also an important part of the human activities related to the coast.
source : la presse
