Tunisia: Fishing and Scuba Diving.
For this, you do not need to go to the Himalayas or the North Pole, you should not participate in the races of Formula 1 or Whitbred. Buy a ticket to Tunisia, best on the island of Djerba. You can not even take the scuba with you and not to master swimming with scuba in Moscow basins. All will provide you with everything and will be taught right on the beaches in Tunisia, where full clubs of underwater swimming of international class. You can say straight, there is no closer to Moscow of the underwater kingdom of a richer marine animation than the Mediterranean coast of Tunisia. You want to meet one on one hammer shark and feel lonely in the ocean? Himself the great Jacques-Yves Kusto first met the sharks in the waters of the island of Djerba. Over the past half a century, little has changed, and to this day it is the richest fish of the Mediterranean.
Tunisia is located on the border of the eastern and western pools of the Mediterranean, the total length of its very rugged coastline reaches 1250 kilometers. Marine fish and underwater sports for many years very popular in Tunisia. In the north and in the south-east of Tunisia, the coast is different in its relief and wealth of his flora and fauna. Extremely attractive for underwater swimmers are the shape of the relief of the seabed. The mountainous coastline in the north of the country is interrupted by strips of sandy beaches at Cape Cap Blank (Bizerta) and on the Peninsula Cap Bon.
The east coast is made by lakes, lagunis and sekkhaty (bitter salted lakes).
Moving to the south of Hammamet to the border with Libya, sandy beaches are interrupted by rocky capes (Sousse, Monastir and Mahahdi).
Thanks to the state policy in the field of environmental protection, which is directed against any kind of pollution, water in the coastal waters of the North and Eastern coast of Tunisia is always clean and transparent.
For many centuries, the underwater world off the coast of Tunisia retains its exclusive wealth. An abundance of various types of sea fauna: sea bass, ferruges, sea crucian and slash (spark), varieties of drums, shrimp, mollusks (squid and octopus) will provide both lovers and professionals of scuba diving are wide opportunities for underwater.
Scuba diving in coastal Tunisian waters – is always an adventure and delight. During the survey of coastal waters, we will be able to hear the sounds and observe the life of the underwater world: this is the silent movement of fish, the mild coiled of the sea plankton, which remains unchanged over time.
Rules relating to underwater hunting in Tunisia
Underwater hunting in Tunisia is regulated according to the laws of the Ministry of Agriculture (and Fisheries) which are published annually in the journal of the Republic of Tunisia .
Varieties of fishing practiced in Tunisia
Three main types of fishing are practiced in Tunisia, depending on the method of fishing, such as the equipment used and the materials and devices required.
1. Fishing with lamps (on light) known as pelagic or blue fish. Sardine, Sardinell, Anchovies, Macrel, Tuna and Bonito are caught. During the fishing of the boat lined up with each other "Farovosik", Using Light Light Lamps. Lights are distributed mainly in Bizerte, Kelibia, Sousse, Mahdi, Zarzais.
2. Coastal fishing "White fish". This catch is carried out in coastal waters. Mostly catching fish with white meat in the depths of the north coast: Groupes, Seales, varieties of drums. In coastal cliffs covered with prawns and dirty stamped with grotts and various crustaceans.
3. Fishing by trawing. For trains, various trab sizes are used: 20-25 m. – on the continental shelf and 200-450 m. – In the open sea. Catch: shrimps, barbed sharks, skates, octopus.
4. Fishing of sponges is not the smallest part from other types of fishing. Basically, when catching sponges, a long harpoon with three teeth at the end . Sponge fishing is predominantly in Gabes Bay, closer to the island of Djerba.
Coralov fishing is practiced in the Tabarka and Bizerta area.
All these types of fishing are equally common and practiced on the entire coast of Tunisia and exist, both for professionals (handmade harpoon – a tuna with blue fins, fishing of a sword fish and fishing with the help of an invisible network), and for amateurs (sports hook).
Tabarka Coral Coast
Tabarka, located on the north-west coast of Tunisia, is known for its rocky seabed, covered in thickets of corals and inhabiting marine animals and plants.
In the upper layers, in free waters, sargy float, sea leaves, thesters, ships walking weight from 3 to 5 kg. In coastal underwater cliffs there are marine eel and sol. Below where water is colder, there are workers and even huge boards weighing up to 25 kg.
Features of the coast of Tabarka:
Annamed rocky island with a lot of caves, which is not far from La Galita island and 80 km. in the sea from tobarca. This island is the last refuge colony of Mediterranean seals, which are rare in these latitudes. However, the hunt for them is strictly prohibited, the island is classified as a natural reserve.
DIVING. Tabarka – Yacht – Club.
Fans of scuba diving and researchers of underwater depths have a good opportunity to examine the coast using Tobark’s Yacht Club Services. Tabarka is located in 175 km. from Tunisa
The club supplies a complete set of equipment and an energetic team of qualified instructors.
One of the most interesting places, from the point of view of the study of the underwater world, is located 15 minutes from the tobarc on the engine boat. You can visit it using tobacker club services. Club organizes 3-4 trips per day (100 dives).
Yacht club is part of the Tunisian Sea Sport Federation (La Federation Tunisienne Des Sports Nautiques), which in turn is part of the World Confederation of Observation Activities (CMAS). Yacht Club Tabarka teaches scuba diving skills according to CMAS standards, applying the requirements and recommendations of the World Confederation. Therefore, the diplomas that the yacht club of Tabark is recognized and Cmas.
– This is the North-West of Tunisia and the Heart of the Mediterranean, this is a lake with branch channels towards the sea. This is one of the most popular and visited places in Tunisia.
Virtually all water sports – yacht-sport, underwater hunting – along the whole coast from Tabarca and in the direction of the islands Galita and Galiton.
Zebra island is located 30 miles northeast of Galita and 8 sea miles northwest of Sidi Daoud. Maximum island height – 432 meters (!), it breaks down in the sea with sheer cliffs. In the eastern part of the island on a small rock is a lighthouse of sanctuate. In the northern tip of the island at a depth of 100 meters, octopus and small red shrimps are caught. Also important commercial importance are the coastal waters of the island, from the rocky shores of which various types of marine animals are caught: shrimps, lobs, crabs, lobsters and other crustaceans. Like Galita, Zebra is a natural reserve.
One of the most colorful species of sea fishing is Sidi-Dauda Madraga, a kind of Tunisian Corrida. Only prey in it are not wild bulls, but rapid and no less powerful steel Mediterranean tuna. This bloody spectacle is colorfully reproduced by the Salvator gave and described by jacques. Technical features of tuna fishing are very specific and rooted in ancient times.
During the year, the network in the sea is located along the directions for which the tuna goes to spawning. At a distance of several kilometers the network is set perpendicular to the direction by which the tuna is floating. In this part of the boat, exposed to form a closed space. Men pull a network of water with jerks, while swinging and singing in traditional rhythm. When the network becomes invisible from a huge amount of fish siscing in it, where individual individuals reach 250 kg., Fishermen jump into the water inside the network and a massacre reminiscent of the sacrifice begins. The distraught tuna one after one die in an unequal struggle against a person.
Hammamet Bay. Central part of Tunisia. From Kelibia to Shebba. Kelibia
Located 110 km. east of Tunisia (capital) on the east coast of Cape Cap Bon. Kelibia is the fourth largest fishing port after Galita, Mahdia and Gabes. The main type of fishing in the area of Kelibia is the Light Lights (Lamp). In powerful boats with a motor 100-120 horsepower with a crew in 16-20 people fishermen go to sea. Unusually name of this kind of fishing – Hunt for "Blue fish". Exclusively Sardin, Macrel, Anchovies.
The fleet of 70-80 boats at sunset is located in a convenient location. Under the sensitive leadership of the captains, fishermen goes on: shipping networks, fuel, provisions and, of course, will never forget the National Water Storage Vessel ("Swing stone"), which at the same time can be used for catching charts: octopus, squid
SUS EL Kantaui
This is the heart of the Sahel region, bordering the Hammamet Bay and the Susa district, always filled with tourists attracted here the opportunity to do snorkeling and fishing.
The third largest city of Tunisia, Sousse is also one of its most ancient cities, the second after the famous Utica. This city was founded by the Ancient Phoenicians. Seafashers and merchants who actively led the trade in the sea, inhabited this city, perfectly fit into the excellent natural harbor. The city, called Hadrumemet first, already in the 9th century BC was the most powerful trading port on the northeast coast of Tunisia.
Extensive beautiful lands, mild climates, sociable temples of the inhabitants undoubtedly make Sousse the most charming of all cities of the Tunisian coast. For many kilometers along the coast, the seabed has a gradual decrease in the sea to a depth of 25 meters. In the area of the city of Nauluyl, the seabed is distinguished by two features: first, it is a shallow water and secondly, this seabed gradually decreases towards the islands of Pantelleria and Lampedusa. SUS is the pearl of the Sahel, endless beaches, always filled with rest, as well as the area of the seaport, where you can get a qualified help of scuba diving instructors and the opportunity to go fishing. Scuba diving in this region is pantry wonders and adventures, the ability to look into the underwater kingdom and see his life from the point of view of the researcher.
Barabuts, Sea Leisure and Royal Shrimps – Mobility inhabitants of 50-meter depths north of the island of Chiciate and Morushey from Hergla. Ordinary shrimps, crabs, starfishes and sponges live in deeper waters.
International Underwater Center in Port El Cantaui
International Center for Scuba Diving in El Cantaui is located in a wonderful tourist complex "Port is cold" ("Port Sad"). Recognized by the Tunisian Federation of Water Sports and is a member of C.M.A.S. (International Confederation of Underwater Activities), Scuba Diving School is open all year for training dives for all who wish to come and engage in this sport.
School Summer S.H.T.T. In monastics
School is in the town "Monastir Island". Modern equipment and instructor specialists are always ready for immersion. For fishermen-lovers s.H.T.T. Offers boat travel entitled "El Kahlia". This boat is equipped for fishermen fishermen, fishing rods and trawls, takes passengers every Friday from La False and President Beach. Each week is also carried out mini cruises and cruises to the islands.
Gabes Bay is known since the time of the ancient navigators called "Sartis Minor". Located in the so-called region "West Tunisian Sicily", separated by islands and shallow water islands Kerkenna from Hammamet Bay. The coastal terrain of this area is lowered into the sea, forming a shallow water, which stretches to the towns of Sprira, Mahares and Zarrat. Two powerful seaside currents, merging together in Gabes Bay create unique physicochemical conditions that contribute to a unique biological diversity. A typical Gabes bay is an almost unique phenomenon of the presence of different currents: in the upper and in the lower layers of the sea, reaching both huge sizes and the width of only up to 2 meters. This region is a unique Biocenosis of the Mediterranean.
Establishing your gaze into the sea depth, you will see extensive prairies of seaweed algae, wide underwater lawns, on which the weight fell a lot of marine fish and crustaceans (visibility to depth is 80 meters). Such a microclimate of the bay provides excellent growth and reproduction of various marine organisms, especially fish and shrimp, whose larvae and eggs feeselly feel in these conditions.
Local features of Lov
One of the most common types of fishing Fish in Gabes Gulf is the fishing of a stone worker. Tuna is also caught all year on the east coast of Tunisia and in Gabes Bay. The bulk of fish is caught in spring and summer. 12 Tuna varieties are caught in Gabes Bay and mostly it is a tuna with blue fins, pelamic and Bonito.
Mediterranean sea bream, Sargy, Tuban, Sea Karas and many crustaceans, especially royal shrimps are caught in the Bay. This kind of shrimp is especially well exported abroad, and the Gabes Bay area takes an important place in the catching of royal shrimps. The royal shrimp basically lives where a huge amount of dead seaweed, plankton and seabed is muddy, dirty sand with remnants of dead organisms. Given these habitat conditions, the fishing of royal shrimps is carried out in three places of the Gabes Bay: Chaffar, Scira and Zarrat. Royal Shrimp dwells at a depth of 40-50 meters northeast of the island of Djerba on a turbid sand day. Many varieties of chappat lives in Tunisian waters. There are six species of octopus, 13 varieties of the tenty – squid. 18 out of 19 species live in Gabes.
For octopus fishing, Gabes fishermen use an ancient traditional way of fishing. He lies in the fact that on the ropes in the sea is thrown out, the so-called, "Swing stone", representing a vascular vessel with a hole in which mollusk pools, and cannot be saved.
Region of the island of Djerba
Djerb Island has a history that goes back in a deep past. It is the most important center of fisheries in Tunisia and possibly one of the richest fishing areas all over the Mediterranean coast. The coastline is a rocky shallow water and sandy and clay shallow – "Banks", Slashing bottom and flowing deep into the sea, constantly interconnected with extensive submarine fields of. Soft warm waters, washing the island, do not have significant temperature differences than contribute to the development of various types of plankton. Aside from the island of Djerba, in the Gulf of Sartis Minor, the sea is happy to take those who want to hide from the storms, winds and the storms of the Mediterranean. And if the arrival fisherman wants to make sure of the wealth of the underwater fauna of the Mediterranean, to explore or watch the underwater world, is enough to spend at least one day on the island of Djerba. This is a paradise for fishermen.
In the coastal waters of the island live 86 species of fish, not counting migratory species. Djerba Island – the richest fish of Tunisia. Today, Tunisia coast attracts fishermen and professionals from all over the world, while interest in fishing along the Mediterranean coast of Europe is almost lost. It is difficult to find all over the coastal island line at 110 km. The town that would not answer all the requirements of fisheries. Coast (Borge of the Zhilizh, Humt Skov, Time Mel, Torginnes) – These are limestone sites and sandy beaches, washed by the waves, which is driven by an oriental wind "Barrani" – This is a region rich in perch and mackerel, while a deep bay with a sandy bottom of the southern coast (Anim, Gelala, El Cantara, Agir) is open to wind gusts "Guebli", Known by its fishing on the drum, canaranks and cambal.
All the eastern and west coast replete with rocks and lagunies, so there are always many fisherfish lovers in coastal rocks.
Rache fishing on Djerba
Djerba Island may rightly be proud of his destiny, who gave him such a rich world of underwater fauna:
Sharks: Catransmen and Cat Shark, Blue Shark, Hummer Shark;
Skates: Skat ordinary, Electric Skat, Angel Skat;
Swordfish;
Sealess and karasi, Tuban and Sargy;
Varieties of cranks, red, stone, golden worker;
Caracatians, squid, Mediterranean octopus and bivalve mollusks;
Crabs, crabs, spiders, shrimp .
Methods of fishing on the island of Djerba several archaic. They are closely related to the ancient methods catching fish on the island and preserved to this day.
1. Fishing on the hook. "La Palangood" – The most common among fishermen lovers who grab mostly small fish type drumgles, sea crucia.
2.Tragle. It’s night fishing. Catch only in winter (cranks, sea perch, bonito, tuna).
3. Catching with a long vertical network. The long network is fixed with ropes and blocks the path running out of the river in the sea. Network put overnight. While the fish goes online, fisherman can sleep well at home, and in the morning only comes to remove the net with fish.
4. Fishing on shallow water. Sea karasi are caressing in summer not in very deep waters, where strong currents dominate. Karasi prefer super-free water, sandy underwater cleaners, somewhere near rocks or reefs, where there is a layer of water with a rapid flow.
5. Fishing. Only fisherman possessing experience can take part in catching a non-child. This method of fishing requires several strong fishermen capable of working in a cohesive group headed by the captain. Always vigilant, ready to raise anchor at any time to swim beyond the migratory shoals of fish.
6. Catching "A La Sautade". Fishermen Jerba is deftly flying in shallow network, catching out of water from the water, walking on spawning. This logging technique is applicable, for example, to catching various types of drums.
This is what he, the amazing underwater world of the Tunisian coast, paradise for fishermen from any country. Today, fishermen come here from all over the world and if you are not afraid of sharks, love the sea and want to experience yourself, it is worth spending a vacation in the waters of Tunisia in your life.
