The following statement was posted on Atuna.com’ Discussing Group earlier this month, carrying the title: “Fishing joint venture story in Libya”.

The author is Mr. Mohamed Chabchoub, the owner of a tuna fishing company in Tunisia who claims to be victim of a plot by an illegal Libyan company:

“Our company called “S.V.P.P.” owning 4 tuna fishing vessels registered in Tunisia has been a victim of swindle and trickery from a Libyan company called “ALMAHARI HOLDING” represented by its general manager “Ali Ferjani”, after a joint venture agreement signed between our two companies which purpose is tuna fishing in Libya.

“Ali Ferjani” presented to us falsified social status and failed to respect what was agreed between us and what was authorized by the Tunisian government for joint venture with the Libyan parties. And after the vessels arrived in Libya, “ALMAHARI” changed the propriety documents of the vessels to its own name by using falsification and denied any owning rights to our company despite all the signed agreements and related documents showing our perfect rights.

“ALMAHARI” have used  for its own benefits during the fishing seasons 2007 and 2008 the four tuna fishing vessels belonging to our company denying any propriety rights to us and have caught during the fishing season 2007 around 500 tons of bluefin tuna and during the season 2008 around 1200 tons of the same fish.

This story happened three years ago and since that time we are trying to get back our vessels and our rights without earning any effort. We have contacted and wrote to many official Libyan parties and administrations asking help to get our rights but until now nothing is done and we still have not reached any solution and our vessels are still out of our rights.

Noting that all the fishermen of the Mediterranean Sea (Italians, French, Spanish, Maltese…) know about this story and regret it.”