Tunisian fishermen driven to perilous depths by mystery sea sponge blight

The species is being forced into deeper waters by a disease that locals believe is exacerbated by pollution and global heatingThere's an account of a 5th-century marker that stood on the border between what is now Algeria and Tunisia. On it was recorded the taxes levied on the different kinds of goods that passed its way: dates, grain and, critically, sponges.Sponges continue to be harvested in Tunisia. Sailing from the Kerkennah Islands and the southern fishing town of Zarzis, Tunisian sponge fishermen have been plying the high-risk trade carried on by their families for as long as anyone can remember. Continue reading...