The Blue Crab Success Story

Rich in culture and biodiversity, the Mediterranean Sea is under growing pressure from non-indigenous species (NIS) that disrupt marine ecosystems and local livelihoods. Among those most affected are small-scale fishers, who stand on the frontline of these changes. Tackling this challenge requires innovation, adaptation, and support.

To address these issues, the GEF-funded FishEBM Med project supports practical measures to mitigate the impacts of invasive species while promoting sustainable blue economy initiatives.

As part of this effort, SPA/RAC has developed a dedicated guideline on the identification and introduction of appropriate measures to prevent new NIS introductions and to control their spread in key Mediterranean sites—fully aligned with the Post-2020 SAPBIO framework.

This story from Tunisia showcases how determination, creativity, and international partnership can turn adversity into advantage.

Once feared and even locally known as “Daesh” by Tunisian fishers for its devastating impacts, the invasive blue crab (Portunus segnis) has become an unlikely symbol of economic hope and sustainable transformation along Tunisia’s southern coast.

In 2014, the blue crab invaded Tunisia’s coastal waters. Its arrival brought chaos: it shredded fishing nets, destroyed catches, and sent shockwaves through the traditional fisheries sector.

As climate change, NIS invasions, and declining fish stocks made traditional fishing unsustainable, many fishers resorted to illegal shallow-water bottom trawling, known locally as “Kiss".

By 2022, an estimated 576 ‘Kiss’ vessels were operating in the Gulf of Gabes—88 of them based at Louata port (Sfax)*. This unregulated activity not only damaged habitats but also undermined long-term fishery sustainability.

Unexpectedly, the same blue crab that heavily impacted coastal livelihoods triggered a transformation.

With technical support from national authorities and international partners, some fishers began experimenting with crab traps—a legal, selective, and sustainable method of fishing. The tide began to turn.

Today, 100% of blue crab fishers use traps. Driven by strong demand from Asian markets, crab exports soared, and a new local economy was born:

• 47 crab processing units were established,
• 90% of processing jobs are held by women,
• Former illegal fishers found pathways into legal and sustainable livelihoods.

The invasive species had become a catalyst for economic empowerment.

Following the International Day Against IUU Fishing, marked on June 5th, Tunisia’s blue crab story continues to offer a hopeful example. Rather than criminalising struggling fishers, offering viable alternatives—like sustainable crab fishing—can reduce pressure on ecosystems and create jobs. To learn more, (re)discover Mohamed’s story in our video on Facebook and LinkedIn and see how sustainable fishing can turn a challenge into an opportunity.

The "Fisheries and ecosystem-based management for the blue economy of the Mediterranean" (FishEBM MED) project, funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), is implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and is executed by the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) and the UNEP Mediterranean Action Plan (MAP), including its Specially Protected Areas Regional Activity Centre (SPA/RAC).

For more information, please contact FishEBM Team at car-asp@rac-spa.org.

Words by Cyrine Bouafif assistant1@spa-rac.org; Emna Derouiche emna.derouiche@spa-rac.org& Dorra Maaoui dorra.maaoui@spa-rac.org. Cover photo: Mohamed Dahech, fisher from Sfax (Tunisia) using blue crab traps, by Hedi Chouchane.