Tunisia: Study on the improvement of the governance and management systems of the fisheries sector

A number of pressing issues need to be tackled, and adequate measures need to be defined leading to an adjustment of the legal situation and the management of the fisheries sector. IUU (illegal, unreported and unregulated) fishing, overexploitation of resources, but also the effects of climate change and pollution are important drivers for a general decline in resources. Port infrastructure is degrading, and control of product quality is not always up to international standards. Lack of knowledge and training of fishers prevents them from using more selective and thus more sustainable fishing techniques. Weaknesses of various types in the administration cause ineffectiveness and enhance tax evasion and non-paying of fees.

The aim of the study is, on the one hand, to carry out a detailed inventory and in-depth analysis of current fisheries management methods and measures in Tunisia and, on the other hand, to draw up a recovery plan for the optimal and concerted management of Tunisian fisheries. A phased approach has been chosen for the implementation of the activities: 

Phase I - Diagnosis and assessment of fisheries management in Tunisia
Phase II - Proposal for a recovery plan for a new optimised fisheries management system in Tunisia 
Phase III - Development of a proposal for a new basic law on fishing and fisheries management