KRATEN, Littoral Zero Trawling
Since many years, the fishermen of Kraten, a village located in the extreme east of the Kerkennah Islands, living essentially from the fruits of artisanal fishing, have been witnessing the degradation of their coasts by the of the Kerkennah Islands, living essentially from the fruits of artisanal fishing, have been witnessing the degradation of their coasts by trawlers which destroy the marine environment and penalise traditional fishing.
Aware of the impact of these threats on sustainable fishing practices and the marine ecosystem, Kraten civil society has decided to act in partnership with local and regional government actors to develop a strategy for social cohesion and conflict prevention between trawlers and artisanal fishermen.
In this context, the “Kraten Association for Sustainable Development of Culture and Leisure” have carried out activities that reach both fishermen and young people in the region, with the aim of encouraging them to participate themselves in the restoration of the marine ecosystem by laying palm reefs in an identified marine environment with the collaboration of scientists and measuring the impact in the target areas in relation to the productivity of the fish and the restoration of marine territory.
ISLANDS
Kraten Village, Kerkennah island, Tunisia
THEMATICS
Pêche durable
Conservation et restauration d’écosystèmes marins
PARTNERS
The Kraten Association for Sustainable Development of Culture and Leisure in partnership with the Association Jeunes Science Kerkennah and the collaboration of the Fisheries District, the Ministry of Environment and the Coastal Protection and Development Agency for the establishment of reefs to deter trawlers from approaching the village’s coast.
The consortium is also working with the Ministry of Agriculture’s Extension Unit (CTV) and the fishing school to raise awareness among fishermen of their working conditions and the importance of preserving their marine environment.
The Ports and Fishing Facilities Agency (Kraten Port) and the management of the Kraten Youth Centre helped to run the meetings and workshops planned within their institutions.
The observation trips at sea were organised in collaboration with the new maritime activities society “CLUB SNORKELING KERKENNAH” in the village of Kraten.
ISSUES
Territorial conflicts have turned the Kraten coast into a theatre of clashes between various interests and actors.
Another problem that has emerged in recent years is the introduction of plastic traps as an octopus fishing technique, which has had a negative impact on marine habitats.
The situation of the Kraten fishermen is a good example of the major crisis facing all artisanal fishing in the Kerkennah Islands.
Despite the epics led by these fishermen against trawling since 2006, and given the increasingly high cost of artisanal fishing equipment, the lack of transfer of know-how related to the manufacture of this fishing equipment and the flagrant decrease in the productivity of the sector, these fishermen are becoming increasingly vulnerable to adhere to this destructive fishing “trawling”.
ACTIVITIES
Identification of areas at sea for the establishement of palm reefs
Immersion of 100 palm reefs for cuttlefish spawning
Mesuring the impact of reef dumping in target areas
OBJECTIVES
COMING SOON
- 100 fishermen will participate in the identification of target areas.
- 100 artificial palm reefs immersed in the sea.
- A video spot of the development of the reefs in the marine environment.
- Two surveys with 50 fishermen in the middle and at the end of the project to measure the impact of impact of the project on the productivity of the fishermen.