Climate and environmental issues, evolving migration intentions and plans: Case study of coastal and artisanal fishing in the regions of Zarzis and Boughrara
Edited and reviewed by:
Imen Louati (PhD)
Translation from Arabic to English:
Olfa Derbal
“The sea is not a forest.” This is how S.K.[1] describes maritime space in Tunisia and in Zarzis. The Mediterranean Sea has its own standards, traditions, culture and laws that regulate it, it is a societal, social, economic and civilizational dynamic, and it is the narrative and history of nations and societies. According to the French historian Fernand Bordell, traveling in the Mediterranean Sea means “finding the world of the Romans in Lebanon, the prehistoric monuments in Sardinia and the Greek cities in Sicily, the Arab presence in Spain, Islam as left by the Turks in Yugoslavia, and the Mediterranean means immersing in the deepest depths of the centuries gone by during which the Bold buildings were erected in Malta and the Pharaonic pyramids in Egypt. It also means finding very old monuments that are still alive, adjacent to very modern and stylish ones…”.[2] Despite its rich history and economic significance, this sea has turned into a chaotic environment where individuals act according to their own desires and the strong prey upon the weak. With the rise of contemporary neoliberalism and the expansion of industrialized societies, the sea has become a hub for unregulated fishing and a dumping ground for waste, including transboundary and transnational pollutants.
The issue of climate change, which can be both natural and induced by human activity, has made things more complicated. In 1992, 190 countries signed the first climate change treaty during the Third Earth Summit. This agreement was created in response to the political pressure that already existed at the time to limit the inevitable increase of carbon dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere through state interventions. Since then, the definition of climate change has changed. It has shifted from its usual meaning of “climate is changing” to a new one: “Recent climate change caused by humans.”[3] The causes of climate change are linked to human actions, but the impact and consequences of climate change vary greatly depending on the relationship between countries in the North and South. The people in the South seem to be the most affected by climate change, despite contributing less to its formation compared to the countries in the Global North. This is due to factors such as social status, class, and gender.
The fishing community is facing several challenges, such as climate change, pollution, and overfishing. These problems have created a divide between the small-scale coastal fishers and the large-scale commercial fishers. The latter are often associated with indiscriminate fishing practices that contribute to the destruction of marine ecosystems. CH. B.[4] used the term “poor fishing” referring to small-scale coastal fishing, while “fishing terrorism” is used to describe large-scale indiscriminate fishing, which is often carried out by large ship owners. Unfortunately, the sea in Zarzis and Boughrara has become polluted due to the activities of some large ship owners, pirates, and militias.
Climate change and environmental degradation have far-reaching consequences, particularly in communities that rely on marine resources for their livelihoods. The situation is made worse when large ship owners take over these resources, exacerbating existing problems of poverty, exclusion, and marginalization.[5] This also leads to the failure to integrate affected communities, such as small-scale seafarers, into national and international policy-making processes.
Climate change not only affects human societies but also has implications for ecosystems, wildlife, and marine life. This, in turn, affects the management and familiar use of culturally and economically important marine and terrestrial species and resources. As a result, societies need to adapt and exercise resilience to climate change. It may also require the “relocation” of humans, animals, and plants to adapt to change and deal with its repercussions. In some cases, the state may be unable to adapt or resist the effects of climate change. In such situations, migration to other spaces may be one possible solution to “settling” people in a place where they can live out their dreams.
Climate change and environmental injustice affect not only local communities but the entire world. Many politicians have recognized the urgency of addressing climate change and have included it in their election or mobilization campaigns. Climate change is frequently featured in news headlines, magazines, and social media. Its impact on various social phenomena is significant, and this study aims to avoid a superficial explanation of the relationship between climate change and migration.
Between December 17, 2010 and January 14, 2011, a new era of representative Tunisian democracy began, which unfortunately ended prematurely after just 10 years, due to rampant social banditry and political deception. On the Tunisian Republic Day in 2021, President Kais Saied took the decision to dissolve the parliamentary body, and pave the way for a new political journey, with a new constitution, parliament, structures, and laws. Amidst all the significant sociological and political changes that have occurred recently, the coastal and traditional fishing communities of Zarzis and Boughrara are advocating for better economic, social, and professional conditions. They are also calling for the prevention of ships that damage marine ecosystems and for solutions to stop some of the practices of Libyan pirates and militias. These demands are justified, especially at a time when most countries worldwide are experiencing climate changes that have affected agricultural and marine wealth. Many seas and oceans have been adversely impacted by companies that emit pollutants and contribute to climate change.
Despite the political changes that have taken place in Tunisian society since 2011 and July 25, 2021, the demands of the fishing community have not been fully met, leading to ongoing suffering. This has caused feelings of disappointment and frustration to escalate, as the Mediterranean Sea no longer provides enough resources to meet the social and economic needs of coastal and artisanal fishing sailors in Zarzis and Boughrara. Moreover, climate change and environmental injustice have become major threats to marine and fisheries wealth, which are crucial sources of livelihood for many Tunisians. Unfortunately, these vulnerable communities have been disproportionately affected by these challenges.
Based on the above and linked to many sub-questions and research status, the central problem of this study is the following:
To what extent can climate change, environmental injustice and the depletion of fish wealth through indiscriminate and illegal fishing be considered factors that have contributed to the development of projects and migratory intentions, whether for coastal and artisanal fishing sailors or for their children and families in a context where seafarers are trapped in a maritime desert due to the unfair division of borders and the transformation of the sea into a hotbed for some pirates, and in a circumstance in which the response of the Tunisian state was slow and almost non-existent?
To what extent did the economic and social crises faced by the coastal and artisanal fishing communities in Zarzis and Boughrara contribute to the decision to migrate, considering that these two societies have a strong tradition of migration and well-established local community networks?
The research hypotheses are linked to the central problem, and the cultural, societal, and economic specificity of the study population. It suggests that climate change and the environmental crisis on the beaches of Zarzis and Boughrara have been the key factors in the formation and development of individual and family migratory intentions. This is due to the sea becoming a hotbed for indiscriminate fishing and piracy, and in a political environment where the state has been unable to address the problems related to the coastal and artisanal fishing sector.
The economic and social crisis plaguing the coastal fishing community of Zarzis and Boughrara is the main factor that paved the way for the formation and development of migratory intentions at a time when the Mediterranean Sea is undergoing climate change and environmental crisis and in a context in which the study community is characterized by the strength and robustness of local social networks and historical traditions and culture of migration.
After identifying the problem and presenting hypotheses regarding the challenges faced by the fishing industry in Tunisia, particularly the coastal fishing sector in Zarzis and the artisanal sector in Boughrara, this study aims to address these challenges. It also aims to investigate the link between climate change and environmental degradation, as well as the relationship between project development and migration intentions.