Several fishermen from the town of Bekalta blocked access to the fishing port on Tuesday, preventing vessels belonging to maritime companies involved in fish farming from entering. This action aimed to denounce the alarming environmental degradation of the port and the deterioration of its infrastructure.
According to testimonies gathered on site, the fishermen blame the growing accumulation of waste and filth throughout the port, as well as the lack of regular maintenance and dredging. They claim that the current conditions are seriously hindering their daily activities.
« The port is in a deplorable state. We can no longer work under normal conditions, » lamented one fisherman, calling for urgent intervention from the relevant authorities to put an end to this crisis.
The protesters also condemned the negative impact of aquaculture companies operating in the region, particularly the presence of organic residues discharged into the sea and the damage caused to the pier by heavy trucks transporting fish feed.
The sit-in was lifted in the early afternoon, and access to the port was temporarily reopened, pending an emergency meeting with the Governor of Monastir. The fishermen hope to voice their demands during the meeting and secure concrete commitments for the rehabilitation of the port.
Source: La presse
