2.3 



FRANCE 



The French high-seas fleet has remained fairly constant for well over a decade. The high-seas fleet, according 

 to French statistics, included 153 vessels with a capacity of 77,982 Gross Registered tons (GRT) on January 1, 

 1993.' The French high-seas fishing fleet included 10 large stem trawlers (grande peche chalutiere), 34 tuna vessels 

 (grande peche thoniere), and 109 trawler/seiner vessels (peche hauturiere)} The French high-seas tuna fleet 

 operates off West Africa and in the Indian Ocean while most of the trawler/seiner fleet operates off the coast of 

 Africa. The future of the French high-seas fleet is uncertain; the high-seas fleet (those vessels over 500-GRT) 

 declined from 106 vessels in 1976 to 85 vessels in 1986, but has since increased to 92 vessels. Most French vessels 

 operate in areas where the EC has established a bilateral fisheries agreement. One venture in Vietnamese waters 

 failed and the Commandant Cue, a large factory stem trawler that once fished off Newfoundland, returned to 

 France. Six French vessels were reflagged in Panama, 3 French-owned vessels were reflagged in St. Vincent, and 

 2 vessels were reflagged in Cypras in 1993. 



COIVTENTS 



1. General Background 69 



2. Fleet Background 70 



3. Modernization Programs 71 



4. Decommissioning Programs 73 



5. Shipyards 73 



6. Intemational Agreements 73 



7. Fleet Dispersal Plans 73 



Sources 74 



Endnotes 79 



1. General Background 



France plays a substantial role in the European 

 fishing industry, possessing 7,200 vessels during 

 1992, registering 187,000 GRT.^ Its annual catch 

 peaked at 910,000 tons in 1989 and then declined to 

 813,000 tons in 1991. Despite a sizeable catch, 

 French importers purchased 508,000 tons of fish and 

 shellfish worth $1.9 billion." Approximately 60- 

 percent of these imports came from European 

 countries, with EC members providing 38 percent of 

 France's 1992 fishery imports.' France, with a 



population of nearly 56 million is an important 

 market for fishery products and premium prices are 

 paid for fresh seafoods. This has helped the French 

 fishing industry to develop one of the more important 

 fishing industries in Westem Europe. 



After its total destmction in the Second World 

 War, the French fishing industry quickly rebounded 

 in the 1950's and 1960's, before slowing down in the 

 face of intemational competition and the extension of 



69 



