Portrait of small-scale fishery in the Gulf of Tunis: fishing gears and fishing grounds.

Abstract

This study was conducted to describe coastal fishing activity in the Gulf of Tunis. It was carried out between November 2017 and June 2018 through surveys in order to collect information on the technical characteristics of fleet and fishing gear used and to delimit the fishing area and fishing period. The main results show that the inshore fleet is active throughout the year with well-defined fishing seasons, operating mainly in traditional exploitation areas easily accessible at the coastal strip. This fishing activity is closely influenced by weather conditions. The trammel net is the most used fishing gear by fisherman given its selectivity and profitability. However, despite the State’s efforts, the sustainability of this fishing activity is threatened by the lack of manpower and the trawling and illegal fishing activities in the coastal strip.