Building Sustainable Aquaculture in Tunisia: Where Do We Stand and What's Next?

Abstract Tunisian aquaculture has experienced remarkable growth, increasing from 887 tonnes in 1990 to over 21,000 tonnes in 2023. This growth has been driven by mussel, oyster farming and freshwater fish aquaculture since the 1960s, as well as land-based research and development and offshore cage operations. The sector now encompasses marine hatcheries, cages for sea bass and sea bream, mussel, tilapia farms and inland fish aquaculture, as well as pilot projects for shrimp and seaweed. It contributes USD 120 million and 14.6% to the fisheries output. Key challenges, such as limited hatchery capacity, feed imports, processing gaps and disease, are being addressed through strategic plans. Emerging sustainability measures include IMTA, recirculating systems, species diversification, and certification, such as the Aquaculture Stewardship Council and Best Aquaculture Practices. This comprehensive review analyses the evolution, current status and prospects of the sector through a synthesis of official statistics and scientific literature. It examines production systems, species diversity, the governance framework and sustainability challenges, and proposes strategic directions for sustainable development.