L'espadon : de la recherche à l'exploitation durable

Contrary to the situation in Europe, Réunion Island is the only French department whose fishing has increased considerably for five years, as far as artisanal fishing linked to DCPs (Fish Concentration Plans), but also semi-industrial longline fishing and industrial fishing in southern oceans are concerned. Two capital events contribute to the quick development of tuna fishing and provide Reunion Island with access to its pelagic resources. The setting up in 1988 of the first DCPs by the French Research institute for the exploitation of the sea (Ifremer) resulted in a real upheaval of artisanal fishery and relaunched a sector which had been slowing down since 1980. In 1991, witnessing the success of Asian longline boats unloading on Reunion Island, a local fleet equipped its 12 m-boat with a semi-automatic longline and carried out a series of trials which proved promising. A few months later, the incitation (through tax exemption) in investment, the support of local government bodies to the fishing sector, as well as the arrival of metropolitan fishermen lead by a fishing crisis in Europe, inspired many to follow this career path. A fleet targeting swordfish (Xiphias gladius), focusing on the European market and supplied by air freight, was created. In accordance with the objectives defined at an international level by the Indian Ocean Tuna Committee (CTOI), France, as a fishing state, has to contribute to the sustainable development of the exploitation and to the long-term management of the pelagic resources.