Diving & fishing

Tunisia Mediterranean

Tunisia is situated on the border of eastern and western basins of the Mediterranean Sea; the general length of its rather intricately cut coast line reaches 1250 km. Tunisian part of the Mediterranean region is one of the most interesting places for divers.

Very attractive for divers are the shapes and contours of the seabed. Rocky coast lines in the north of the country are interrupted with strips of sandy beaches around the cape of Blanc - Bizerte and on the Cape Bon Peninsula.

Tunisia, however, is not only a place of pilgrimage of divers from all over the world; it is also a desired aim of those who are obsessed with water sports and underwater fishing. Because of the state policy in the sphere of the preservation of the environment, sea water near Tunisia is always clean and transparent, and sea flora and fauna are rich and unique. Underwater fishing in Tunisia is regulated with the rules of the Ministry for Agriculture and Fishery which are published annually.

At any resort of Tunisia there are several stations specialized in the water sports.

Diving and snorkeling

In Tunisia diving points and diving centres are located along all the seaside. The Tunisian Federation of diving (FAST) has 18 centres available for tourists. Many of them offer training courses according the systems PADI or CMAS.

It is better to take your own costume, mask and snorkel, flippers, knife, depth gauge and other parts of the underwater swimming set but it is not absolutely necessary.

Fishing

Different types of fishing are equally popular and are in practice on all the seaside of Tunisia; they are available both for professionals (hand harpoon - tuna with blue fins, sword-fish, fishing with invisible net) and for amateurs (sportive fishing with fish-hook).

In Bizerte, Kelibia, Sousse, Mahdia and Zarzis they practice fishing with lamp light. This method is used for fishing sardine, sardinelle, anchovy, mackerel, tuna and bonito. During fishing boats are set in a chain and lamps are used for bait.

For creeping they use creeps (trawls) up to 20-25 m long in the shallow waters and up to 200-450 m long in the open sea. Fishing with hook (near the coast) is popular among amateur fishermen mostly. They fish mainly small species such as scorpion fish or sultan fish. They use also long vertical net fixed with cords; it cross the way for fish coming from river to the sea. For this sweep-net only some strong fishermen are in need; they should be ready to work in a team and to get up at once to follow the migrating shoals. For sponges they use long harpoon with a trident.

Fishing sponges is popular mainly in the bay of Gabes, close to the island of Djerba.

Collecting corals is permitted in the regions of Tabarka and Bizerte.

Diving and underwater fishing

Tabarka

A small in size resort of Tabarka is situated on the northwestern coast of Tunisia. There are about 20 diving points there; the most part of them are only in a half an hour from the shore. They are of interest for experienced divers. Tabarka is known for its rocky seabed covered with corals and rich with sea animals and fish as well as seaweeds.

In the upper layers, in free waters, there are sargs, sea beams, crandalls and zanders up to 3-5 kg weight. In the shallow waters, in the reef you can see sea-eel and even octopus; and lower where the water is colder it is possible to find giant groupers up to 25 kg weight.

It is Tabarka where the largest coral reef of the Mediterranean Sea is.

80 km from Tabarka, in the open sea there is a lonely rocky island with a great amount of caves. It is the last harbour for the colony of Mediterranean seals which are terribly rare in this latitude. Hunting on the seals is strictly prohibited; the island is a preserved state territory, a natural park.

Those who are fond of diving and specialists researching the sea depths may study the coast line with the help of the local Yacht club. The club provides tourists with a complete set of equipment; there are qualified instructors in the Club.

One of the most interesting places is located in a quarter of hour by motor boat. The Yacht club is a member of the Tunisian Federation for Water Sports which, in its turn, is a member of the International Confederation for Underwater Activity (CMAS). The Yacht club of Tabarka offers training according the standards of CMAS.

Sidi Daoude

Sidi Daoude is located on the north-eastern coast of Tunisia, on the Cape Bon Peninsula. Madraga of Sidi Daoude is one of the most exotic types of sea fishing. It is a kind of Tunisian sea Corrida.

The net is set perpendicular to the direction of tuna spawning in several km. Boats are placed in such a way to form a closed space. Men draw the net from the water with jerks swinging and singing traditional tunes. When the net is covered completely with an immense quantity of fish (and some tuna can be up to 250 kg) fishermen jumped to the water and the slaughter begins. It looks like sacrifice. Mad tuna are killed one by one in the unequal fight with humans.

Bizerte

Bizerte is located on the north-western coast of Tunisia, in the very heart of the Mediterranean Sea. The resort is placed around the lake with a net of channels connecting it with the sea. It looks like an African Venice. It is one of the most popular and visited town in Tunisia. There are almost all water sports here: snorkeling, diving, surfing, yachting and underwater fishing.

Zembra

The small island of Zembra is in 30 sea miles northeastward from the island of Galite and in 8 sea miles northwestward from Sidi Daoude. The top point of the island is 432 m high; shores precipitate to the sea with steep cliffs. In the northern part of the island, in the depth of 100 m they catch octopuses and small red shrimps. Near the cliffs they catch shrimps, spiny lobsters, crabs and lobsters. The island of Zembra as well as the island of Galite is natural park.

Hammamet

The bay of Hammamet is on the eastern side of the Cape Bon, from Kelibia to Chebba. The main type of fishing here is with lamp light. On the mighty motor boats (up to 100200 horse-powers) and with a crew of 16-20 persons, local fishermen go to the sea. At dusk, a group of 70-80 boats gathers in a good place. The name of this type of fishing is rather funny: they call it "hunting for blue fish". They fish sardine, mackerel and anchovy on the light.

Underwater beautiful views of Hammamet are ideal for beginners in diving because there are many shallow spots with lat seabed.

Sousse, Port el Kantaoui

The International school of diving officially recognized by the Tunisian Federation for Water Sports and a member of the International Confederation for Underwater Activities (CMAS) is opened during all the year and it is ready to provide training courses. In the settlement of Hergla there is the "Scuba Diving Center" for tourists. Beginners will be accompanied by experienced tutors in their underwater travel. Those who have got the certificates may study drawn objects and admire night diving. You may choose a special program: diving at the tuna farm - in a large chest with giant fishes.

Monastir

The depth at the diving points is from 5 to 15 m only. It is an available place even for snorkeling - you can see grottos and different kinds of sea fauna.

The diving school "S.H.T.T." provides professional equipment according high standards. Its instructors are always ready to accompany you in diving. For amateur fishermen "S.H.T.T." offers a trip by a specialized fishing boat. Every week there are mini-cruises and cruises to the uninhabited island of Kuriat.

Mahdia

The seabed near Mahdia is known, first of all, for a great amount of archaeological findings made there by the team of the world-known explorer of the sea depths Custeau. Many of these objects they found are exposed in the museum of Bardo in the city of Tunis now.

Gabes

The bay of Gabes is located in a region called usually "Western Tunisian Sicily". The sea is transparent up to 80 m deep here. They fish 12 kinds of tuna; mainly tuna with blue fins, pelamid and bonito. Also they fish Mediterranean sea bream, sarg, zander, scorpion fish and different cancroids, especially royal shrimps.

To catch octopuses fishermen of Gabes use an ancient method: they throw so called "swinging stone" on the cord into the sea - it is a chiseled vessel with a hole; mollusk crawls inside and can't get out any more.

Djerba

It is one of the richest fishing regions of all the Mediterranean coast. In the shallow waters 86 species of fish live. It is a paradise for divers: both for beginners and experts. By the way, for the experienced divers several drawn ships lying on the depth from 20 to 40 m are available.

As you see, an amazing underwater world of the Tunisian coast is a real paradise for those who are obsessed with water. Here you can find conditions to take your first lessons in snorkeling and diving, you will be able to make a romantic underwater travel, to feel the passion of fight coming in a competition with severe sea creatures.