For the past decade, fishermen in Tunisia have struggled with an invasive crab species. Now, they are leveraging them to earn extra income.
Nabil (right) can spend the entire day removing crabs caught in fishing nets. He does this slowly and meticulously. However, eight years ago, this task was far from pleasant for Nabil. He and many other fishermen were frustrated by the large influx of blue crabs (Portunus segnis) appearing off the coast of Tunisia, particularly in the Gulf of Gabès along the eastern coast of the country.
No one understands why crabs from the Indian Ocean have reached the Mediterranean Sea. They may have “migrated” through the Suez Canal or been unintentionally transported by ships. However, studies indicate that the main reason is the climate crisis. Rising sea temperatures have caused the crab species to move towards northern waters.
The Mediterranean is a promised land for these crabs. There are too few natural predators, such as octopuses, in this region. This unchecked growth has severely impacted the already struggling fishing industry in Tunisia. The crabs not only destroy fishermen’s nets but also negatively affect their fish stocks.
The emergence of this “greedy pest” has angered fishermen. A series of protests were organized in 2015-2016. Ultimately, the Tunisian government and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations came together to seek solutions. They suggested that instead of trying to eliminate the crabs, fishermen could profit from them.
They trained fishermen to catch crabs using cages instead of nets. Traditional fishermen in Kerkennah, a small archipelago off Tunisia’s eastern coast, also adapted. To catch crabs, fishermen employ the “charfia” method. This ancient technique uses palm fronds to guide crabs into traps.
Thanks to this, fishermen can sell crabs for profit. However, domestic sales are not feasible due to low demand. In contrast, this crab species is highly sought after in Asia, America, and some European countries like Spain and Italy.
After the “charfia” method was implemented, numerous processing companies emerged in Tunisia. They must handle crabs within hours to meet export standards. Many women in Tunisia who previously worked seasonally collecting clams have found new jobs thanks to these crabs.
