Last Friday, a massive mortality of fish was observed on the beach of Soliman, in the governorate of Nabeul. The phenomenon led the Minister of the Environment, Habib Bouabid, to go to the scene on Sunday for an inspection of the coast.
Current analyzes
According to Souad Chatouti, coordinator of the Association of the Environment and Development Association of Soliman, the services of the National Institute of Science and Technology of the Sea (INST) and the National Environmental Protection Agency (ANPE) were mobilized to carry out the necessary analyzes to determine the causes of this mortality.
The Municipal Services of Soliman supported the collection of dead fish, then covered with a layer of lime before burial, in accordance with the procedures in force. A commission including the regional directorate for the protection of the coastline, the INST, the Regional Health Directorate, the ANPE and the security services inspected the coast and withdrawn from the samples of dead fish, sea water and sand at different points of the beach.
A sea that changes color
The most disturbing phenomenon remains the color change of the sea, which now tends towards brown. This anomaly requires a scientific explanation based on the results of the samples taken, Souad Chatouti said at the TAP agency.
A similar phenomenon, with a significant mortality of fish, had already been observed last June in the same region, signaling disturbing recurrence of this type of incident in the Soliman coast.
The possible role of microalgae
Similar episodes were also observed in other regions of the country, such as the Gulf of Monastir last June. The first tests had revealed that the mortality of fish was linked to an excessive proliferation of microalgae (Bloom).
This abnormal growth is favored by the abundance of nutrients in water, a consequence of heavy spring rains and urban discharges, the massive decomposition of green algae, the rise in temperatures, the low circulation of water masses and the absence of winds. These conditions lead to a drastic drop in dissolved oxygen, sometimes total, causing the death of many marine species.
