A group of fishermen from the Monastir Governorate held a sit-in on Wednesday in front of the Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources in Tunis. They are demanding an urgent solution for the owners of fishing boats built with official permits as part of an old boat replacement program. However, the ministry’s services have refused to approve their operation, stating that the new vessels do not meet the standards defined in the original permits, according to a member of the Teboulba Maritime Fishing Development Group, who was present at the demonstration.
Nakti, a spokesperson for the protesters, told the TAP news agency that he, along with Sassi Alia, a representative of fishermen from the Gabès Governorate, had met with the services of the Secretary of State for the Minister of Agriculture, Water Resources, and Maritime Fisheries. Their goal was to present their demands and find a solution to this issue, which has been pending for two years. Despite many promises, no solution has been provided for the approximately 50 boats involved, located in the ports of Teboulba, Sayada, Sfax, and Monastir, along with 26 other boats stationed in Gabès.
Many boat owners find themselves in a financial and legal deadlock. Having funded their projects through personal funds, bank loans, or debts from suppliers, they are facing critical deadlines. The checks issued for these loans must be honored before February, according to the new law on checks. The value of the boats in question ranges from 50,000 to 4 million dinars, amounts that worsen their vulnerability.
Nakbi emphasized that the changes made to the boats’ specifications aimed to align them with international standards and improve maritime safety. These adjustments were intended to allow the boats to travel longer distances, a necessity due to the depletion of fishery resources in territorial waters. However, these initiatives are encountering bureaucratic deadlock. He also pointed out that the General Directorate of Maritime Fisheries has been regularly updating the permits since 2006. Today, these boats risk sinking in the ports or being dismantled on land. It is important to note that this sit-in is not an isolated event. On December 24, several boat owners and fishermen blocked the Teboulba fishing port during a protest, hoping to attract the attention of the authorities.
The situation remains tense, and without swift intervention, this crisis threatens not only the livelihoods of the fishermen but also the entire maritime fishing sector.
Source: La presse
