Commercial Fishing Seafood Industry Contacts - Tahiti, French Polynesia (+689)

Government Contacts & Information Resources for
Commercial Fishing, Seafood, Aquaculture, Marine & Oceans in Tahiti

Commercial Fishing in Tahiti
Tahiti's commercial fish exports literally took off during 1997 with a volume that was nearly 1,000% greater than that of 1996. The volume of 1997 fish exports was 1,118 tons that were worth 401 million French Pacific francs (about US$4m).

And the potential growth has been enhanced since December 1997 with the quality of Tahiti's exported fish conforming to the most strict international standards. The commercial fishing industry, Tahiti's third major resource, behind tourism and pearl farming, was modernized in 1997 with new refrigerated tuna boats and longer stays at sea. The record 1997 results simply reinforced the government's forecast of commercial fish catches totaling 11,000 tons by the year 2003, with 7,400 of those tons being exported, earning an expected value of 3 billion F CFP yearly. That explains why Tahiti today is looking for investors who can help to enlarge its growing fleet of fishing boats. The goal is a fleet of 50 new boats by 2002, doubling the volume of direct and indirect employment to some 4,000 jobs.

South Korea is the only foreign country with whom Tahiti has a signed agreement permitting fishing inside its Exclusive Economic Zone. In the past, Japan, also had fishing arrangements within the Exclusive Economic Zone. Those arrangements involved selling licenses for nominal fees to foreign boats that hauled away the catches, processed them and realized the value added.

Papeete has been an international fishing port since the first whaleboat ships called here during the 18th century. And the more recent growth of Tahiti's industrial fishing fleet has led to the Development and expansion of the Papeete Fishing Port, located in the East Basin of the Port Authority next to Fare Ute.
Since June 1995 the Papeete Fishing Port Co. has been operated by the Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Services in French Polynesia.

The equivalent of several millions of dollars has already been spent developing this fishing port. That work has included building big wharves for ocean-going fishing boats to off-load their catches and building floating metal pontoons to handle several fishing boats at a time.

The fishing port produces its own ice, has cold storage rooms and an air-conditioned trading room for fish catches to be sold immediately upon being unloaded.

 

 

Tahiti Fishing Boats
Tahiti's fishing fleet ranges from the traditional "poti marara" to the industrial refrigerated longliners. In between are the traditional bonito boats and the fresh fish longliners. The fresh fish longliners measure 13-20 meters (43-66-ft.) and are the fastest growing in numbers today. They use crews of 4-5 persons for catching tuna, marlin and swordfish over periods of 6-15 days. Their fishing grounds are 100 nautical miles from home port for the smallest boats and the entire exclusive economic zone for the biggest boats. Finally, there are nine 25-meter (82-ft.) long refrigerated long-liners, five of which were built in Tahiti. There also are two 18-meter (59-ft.) long boats and two 23-meter (75-ft.) long boats. Their obvious advantage is they are equipped to freeze their catches. They use crews of 7 persons for catching tuna, marlin and swordfish over periods of 47 or more days, fishing inside and outside Tahiti's economic zone.

Aquaculture in Tahiti
While aquaculture efforts are limited they have had success in the past. Shrimp, prawns, crabs and mussels were initially chosen as potential candidates for Devellopment.

Tahiti's early experience with aquaculture dates back to 1966. Joint efforts between the Territory and the French State from 1972-1983 involved aquaculture experimental projects involving shellfish and mollusks.

And there is an aquaculture project being developed in Tahiti involving Pacific sea bass. Other potential aquaculture development involves fresh water shrimp farming. The advantage of this potential is that there is always a local market for fresh shrimp.

Finally, Tahiti & her Islands offer investors a potential export business involving lagoon fish shipped to overseas fish collectors who sell the exotic fish to buyers with aquariums in their homes or businesses.

Tahitian Cultured Pearls
This is Tahiti's largest commodity export since the early 1980s. During 1997 Tahiti exported 4,788 kg of cultured pearls that were worth a new yearly record of 14.5 billion French Pacific francs (F CFP) or about US$145 m.

Some of the Commercial Fishing Species found in Tahitian Waters
Wahoo - Accanthocybium solandri
Skipjack tuna - Katsuwonus pelamis
Mackerel tuna - Euthynnus affinis
Dogtooth tuna - Gymnosarda unicolor
Dolphin fish - Coryphaena hippurus
Albacore - Thunnus alalunga
Yellowfin tuna - Thunnus albacares
Bigeye tuna - Thunnus obesus
Blue marlin - Makaira mazara
Shortbill, spearfish - Tetrapturus angustirostris
Black marlin - Makaira indica
Southern bluefin tuna - Thunnus maccoyii
Striped marlin - Tetrapturus audax
Broadbill Swordfish - Xyphias gladius
Pacific sailfish - Istiophorus platypterus
Moonfish - Lampris guttatus