On Thursday March 20, 2025, fourteen sea turtles were discovered dead on the coast between Oued Zerkine and Oued Gabès. This sad discovery was made by the association for the conservation of wetlands in the south of Tunisia, led by Naoufel Hammouda.
This phenomenon of mortality occurs during the period of turtle reproduction, a disturbing situation for the marine biodiversity of the region. According to Hammouda, the causes of these deaths are probably linked to the tangues of turtles in the fishing nets.
“When they approach the coast to lay, it is possible that the turtles hit the nets, which leads to their asphyxiation and their death,” he explained in a statement to Mosaic FM.
To fight against this phenomenon, the association has set up strict follow -up with a field team, as part of the “Save the sea” turtles “project, funded by the regional activities center for particularly protected areas (SPA/RAC).
Naoufel Hammouda insisted on the importance of collective mobilization to fight this phenomenon, which reproduces each year during this period. He called for fishermen to adopt more environmentally friendly practices to avoid such incidents.
