Tunisia occupies a strategic position on the southern shore of the Mediterranean thanks to its opening on its two ponds, the western to the North and the oriental to the eastern part of the country.
With a coast of 1300 km and a national maritime domain of 80 000 km2, Tunisia possesses natural assets facilitating and approving the fishing sector.
Indeed, this fishing sector occupies an important place in the National economy and its primary sector represents 1.5 % of the GDP (GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT). Furthermore, with an average of 100 578 T, the sector contributes of 10 % in the national agricultural production.
It is about an activity which ranks second in terms of export (after the olive oil) with a value oscillating between 205 and 250 million dinars, presenting 17 % of the value of the national agro food exports in 2008.
The intensification of the implementation of an effective legal and statutory framework for the management of the fishing sector, with the kick-off of the application of the European directive of the fight against the illicit not declared and neither regulated fishing (INN) since the 1st of January 2010.
Fleet and maritime population:
There are approximately 41 fishing ports among which 10 deep-sea ports (Tabarka, Bizerte, Goulette, Kélibia, Sousse, Téboulba, Mahdia, Sfax, Gabès and Zarzis), 22 coastal ports and 9 are simple dikes-shelters.
11347 boats and fishing units (Tab1)
Main operators: freezing, processing and conditioning
The fishing products’ freezing is also an activity except in the branch of the fishing products and it is directed in 90 % to the export. It covers essentially shellfishes, for instance, shrimps and spiny lobsters, cephalopods (octopuses and cuttlefishes).
Tunisia has 38 boats freezers recognised in 2008 and 88 freezing units of the sea products.
Several techniques are used for the preservation and the processing of the sea products, namely:
The traditional techniques: are essentially the salting (anchovy exported towards the EU) and the drying (sardine, octopus in the Tunisian South)
The industrial techniques: concern essentially the freezing and the conditioning of the tuna, the sardine and the shellfishes.
Distributed along the coast, most of the units of processing are situated next to fishing ports. The North of the country is specialized in the processing of sardines: about 48 % of the capacity of processing of this fish is concentrated in the Cap Bon, while the factories of the South of the country, are more directed to the treatment of the tuna with 66 % of the Tunisian capacity.
The sector counts about twenty operating units of sardine and tuna processing with a processing capacity of 110T / day for the sardine and 173T / day for the tuna.
Sardine Processing:
An outfit of actions was made in favour of the promotion of the activity of processing and the valuation of the blue fish:
The Installation of 4 new units and the reopening of 2 others for the sardine processing (Tab3)
In 2009, the sector counted 8 units having the sanitary agreement presenting 59 % against 4 in 2008.
The Launch of a presidential plan of the development of the fishing activity of the blue fish in 2001 taking into account the phase of processing stage, through:
The installation Planning of 10 processing and\or freezing factories of the blue fish: 4 freezing factories and 1 of processing are already finished and 3 in progress
The increase of the investment premium from 7 to 20 %
The encouragement of companies for the membership into the upgrade program.
The preparation of packaging according to international standards.
The metallic Packaging: decrease of the officer’s taxes and the tax on the added value.
The setting of new selling points at the level of internal zones
The acquisition of more than 50 trucks equipped with a refrigerating group for fish transport.
Tuna processing:
The tuna processing also concerns the very species «thunnus thynnus» very esteemed for its unique gustative qualities, but also other species such as «yellow liqueur brandy.
The dealt quantities allowed producing, in 2009, 7100 T of cans of tuna.
The efforts aimed at the products’ diversification are undertaken and we are able to see on the market conditioned tuna filets in glass jars.
A multitude of actions were realized to support the activity of processing and the valuation of tuna:
The installation of 3 new processing units and the reopening of 2 others.
The Capacity of tuna processing equals 173 T/day ( tab5 ).
Production and main products (shellfish, octopuses, cuttlefishes, cans of food,)
Quantity of production:
The national production of the sea products knew a considerable development these last years, that is 100 578 T in 2008.
On a national scale, the blue fishes fishing is the most productive type of fishing with 48 988 T, followed by the coast fishing with 23 578 T ( fig1 )
A/ Blue fishes Production:
In 2008, the blue fish sector knew an important qualitative development and its production is about 48988T contributing to 48.71 % of the sea products national production of the (fig1).
Within the framework of the presidential plan realization concerning the development of the blue fish fishing, in 2001 various investments were scheduled at the level of the production phases:
The project of setting 100 modern units of blue fish fishing among which 72 are already acquired and 27 are launched.
The increase of the investment ceiling from 300 000 DT to 1 MDT.
The realization project of 15 ice production projects among which 1 is already launched.
The increase of the investment premium from 7 to 20 %
The Project of setting 10 units of equipments’ cleaning among which 2 are already realized.
The main fishes categories are: the Sardine (Sardina pilchardus) and the Sardinelle (Sardinella spp) (60 % of the production), the Allache (Sardinella aurita) (14 % of the production), the Saurel (Trachurus spp) (15 % of the production) and the Mackerel (Scomber) postal area (9 % of the production).
However, the fishing of sardines marked a stability during the last three years, as shows it tableau4
B/ The Tuna production:
In 2008, the national production of tuna reached 2679 T against 2400 T in 2007 registering an increase of 11.6. % and contributing to 2.74 % of the total quantity of the production of fishing products’ (fig. 1).
In spite of the important increase of the production of tuna during these last years, the quantity used in the processing industry remains unimportant, as shows it the picture 6.
C/ Production of shellfishes:
The national production of shellfishes is mainly directed to the European Union.
Shellfishes are divided into 3 main species: royal shrimp Penaeus Kerathurus (41 %), Roe deers Parapenaeus longirostris (spiny lobster, 34 %) and the white shrimps Metapenaeus monoceros (24 %: peeled and frozen, whole and frozen altogether)
Production of shrimps:
In 2008, the national production of shrimps reached 2735 T among which 2021 T are caught by the in-depth trawling (73.89 %) as shows it the following
Production of spiny lobsters:
In 2008, the production reached 48.237 T shared essentially between the following governorates: Bizerte, Nabeul, Jendouba and Monastir.
D/ Production of cephalopods:
This production is essentially directed to the export and consists of the following species:
Production of the cuttlefishes: presenting 65 % of the cephalopods production.
In 2008, the production of the cuttlefishes reached a quantity of 4908T, registering a regression of 1809T when compared to 2007.
Production of the Octopuses: presenting 33 % of the cephalopods’ production.
In 2008, the production of the octopuses reached 1280 T registring a regression of 1016T with regard to 2007.
Production of squids: presenting 3 % of the production of cephalopods.
E/ Production of molluscs (bivalves: shell):
The major part of the national production in mollusks is exported towards the European Union.
4 main species: the Clam Pats Decussatus (72 %), the moulds Myphelus galloprovencialis
(26%), Huitre Oestra edullis (1T) and Winkles (10T.
Production of moulds and huitres:
In 2008, the national production reached 536 T, about 1951 thousands DT registering a decrease of 79 T (12.8%) and 127 thousands DT (6 %) with regard to 2007
90 % of this production is directed to the export. Indeed, the sector counts up 18 establishments of purification and exportation of clams and mussels.
2 . The Value of production:
The value of the production of the fishing products knew a clear evolution of about 4.6 million DT passing from 355 million DT in 2007 to 359 million DT in 2008 so registering a growth of 1 %.
However, the coast fishing registered a higher value (143 millions DT) by participating with 39.8% of the value of the national production (fig3).
3. Investments:
Several incentive in favour of the fishing sector, certain actions were scheduled some of which are already in progress: programs of upgrade, organization of fishing seasons according to the specificities of every marine species, as well as the intensification of the appeal to scientific research.
Intensification of the upgrade of a legal and statutory framework by the application of the European directives of fight against the illicit, not declared and not regulated fishing ( INN) (in January, 2010), which will be accompanied with a awareness-raising among Tunisian fishermen.
Improvement of the system of traceability of the fishing products aiming at the export towards the European Community during all the phases: conditioning, processing and transport.
Creation of a consultation commission in order to manage this activity. These various measures were supported by the statutory order in 2009 about the biological rest in the fishing sector and its functionalities.
The implementation of a control system via satellite of the fishing boats will enable to protect the halieutic resources in front of this fishing anarchy.
The implementation of a quality label for sardine cans with an objective of production of about 70 000 T in the horizon of 2016
An Objective to reach a stability in production until 2011 followed by a 10 % of increase during 2016 resulting essentially from the development of the production of the coast fishing.
Fish farming production: an increase planned up to 7,5 thousands tons in 2011 (+ 177 % when compared to the production in 2008) and up to 15 thousands tons in 2016.
4. Jobs:
The fishing sector and the fish farming counts 52006 fishermen in 2008 (direct jobs).
5. Evolution of the quantity and the value of the exports according to species during the last three years:
In 2009, the exports of the fishing sector reached 19286 T valued to 205.3 MDT against a quantity of 21492 T and valued 250.4 MDT in 2008 (fig. 4 and fig. 5):
A Decrease of 2205 T (10 %) in quantity and 45.1MDT (18 %)
Decrease of the exports of fresh and frozen fishes, the shellfishes and the molluscs
Increase of the exports of can and semi can of fishes
Evolution of the exports per month (comparison between 2008 and 2009):
A decrease during the first quarter of 2009 (before the biological rest)
A stability during the biological rest (July, August and September)
An increase in October of 250 T and a value of 2.4MDT followed by two successive falls in Novembers of a quantity of 505 T and a value of 18.9MDT and another decrease in Decembers of a quantity of 120 T and a value of 9.3 MDT.
This decrease of the exports is essentially due to the regression of the exports of the following products (fig. 6 and fig. 7):
Fresh Tuna of 835 T the equivalent of 27.7 MDT
Shrimps of 653 T the equivalent of 10 MDT
Squid of 380 T the equivalent of 0.6 MDT
Octopus of 176 T the equivalent of 6 MDT
We registered an important increase of the exports at the level of
Cans of sardines of 532 T the equivalent of 4.2 MDT
Cans and semi cansof anchovy of 115 T theequivalent of 0.9 MD
6/ The most important export destinations:
The exports occupy ranks first in injecting some dynamism into the economy and in strengthening the position of our country on the world market.
Therefore, the number of countries receiving the Tunisian exports increases from one year to another that is 37 destinations, in 2009, for the fishing products.
Concerning the sector of sardine, the exports are essentially directed towards 13 countries: Algeria, Lybie, Italy, France, Monaco, Japan, Syria, Burkina Faso, Chad, official list of ivory, Ghana, Togo and Congo. (GIPP, on 2009)
7/ Location of the sector
The fishing sector and the fish farming represent:
8 % of the total value of the agricultural production.
17 % of the total turnover of the agricultural and food exports.
A particular attention is paid to the development of this sector through four main axes:
The rationalization of the management of the halieutic resources.
The consolidation of the work of applied scientific research.
The promotion of the fish farming.
The consolidation of the competitiveness of the fishing products.
The fishing Sector:
A strategic Activity
The Governorate of SFAX
1/ Fleet and maritime population:
The governorate of Sfax counts 10 ports among which 2 commercial ports Sfax and Skhira)
Sfax ranks first with 3656 boats and fishing units (tab7).
The coast fishing has the highest number of equipments with 3494 boats with and without engine (fig8).
2/ Main operators: freezing, processing and conditioning
The governorate of Sfax counts 10 boats freezers apparatus that is 26.32 % of the total number of boats.
21 processing and conditioning units are settled in the region of Sfax that is 25.93 % of the total number of industrial concerns in Tunisia:
Processing of sardine:
In 2009, the installation of 2 new units in the South to reach a sardine processing capacity of 31 T/Day.
Processing of tuna:
In 2009, the installation of 2 new units to reach a tuna processing capacity of 130 T/day
2/ Production and main products (shellfishes, octopuses, cuttlefishes, cans of food,)
A/ Quantity of production
The governorate of Sfax participates with 12.58 % of the produced total quantity that is 12653 T, resulting essentially from the trawling.
The governorate of Sfax has 10 ports and the most mattering is the one of SFAX city who participates with 64.28 %
a)Production of blue fishes:
In 2008, the production of blue fishes knew an evolution of 82 T in comparison with year 2007, to reach 488 T.
Within the framework of the promotion of the activity of blue fishes, the state scheduled the setting up of 10 modern units of blue fish fishing at the level of the governorate of Sfax that is 10 % of the total number of units: among which 4 are already finished and 4 in progress.
b)Production of tuna:
Classified 3rd regional supplier of tuna, the governorate of Sfax produced 228.9T in 2008:
c) Production of shellfishes
Production of shrimps (fig15)
The in-depth trawling ranks first in terms of shrimps production in Sfax with 979 T, the equivalent of 80.91 %.
Production of cephalopods :
Production of the Octopuses
The governorate of Médenine participates with 48.6 % of the national production followed by the governorate of Sfax with 29.72 % (fig. 17)
At the level of Sfax, the coast fishing ranks first in terms of octopuses’ production with 303T, the equivalent of 79.58 % of a total quantity equivalent of 380T..
d) Production of shellfishes
Production of mussels and huitres:
At the level of the governorate of Sfax, the production of huitres is allocateed between 4 main ports (fig. 18)
B/ The production value
4/ Jobs:
In 2008, the fishing sector employs 16388 fishermen in SFAX (direct jobs) that is 32 % of the total number of the Tunisian fishermen.
