The fishing port of Kélibia is going through a crisis marked by the advanced degradation of its infrastructure, the increase in production costs and the decrease in fish resources, a situation that is of great concern to professionals in the sector and local authorities.
Fishermen face a continuous increase in charges, including the price of fuel and spare parts, while marine resources are declining due to anarchic fishing and the effects of climate change. This situation further weakens a sector already under pressure.
In a statement to « Diwan FM » radio, the Secretary General of the Regional Union of Maritime Fisheries in Nabeul, Fawzi Jerbi, indicated that the sector has been experiencing structural difficulties for several months, in particular due to a lack of port equipment and essential services.
He stressed that the port of Kelibia, yet one of the most important in the country in terms of fish production, suffers from failures accumulated for years. The docks, heavily degraded, hinder the movement of ships and compromise the safety of boats, directly impacting the working conditions of fishermen and their income.
Faced with this situation, professionals call on the authorities to intervene urgently to rehabilitate port infrastructures and strengthen sustainable resource management mechanisms, in particular through the effective application of biological rest periods.
They also call for a strengthening of surveillance and rescue resources at sea, with the provision of boats from the Maritime Guard and a helicopter for emergency interventions. This request comes in a context marked by the disappearance of six fishermen since February 24, despite the search operations carried out by the units of the Maritime Guard and the army.
Finally, the actors in the sector insist on the need to modernize surveillance systems, in particular through the use of radar technologies to track small boats and improve the responsiveness of interventions in the event of distress.
source : la presse
