Marquesas industrial fishing area claims 'wrong'

1:15 pm on 30 October 2017

One of the investors in a controversial fishing venture in French Polynesia's Marquesas Islands says it is wrong to claim that plans are afoot for industrial fishing in the area.

Tuna on the deck of a Pacific fishing vessel.

Tuna on the deck of a Pacific fishing vessel. Photo: RNZI/Giff Johnson

The government-backed project to base dozens of tuna fishing boats in the Marquesas has alarmed local communities, with hundreds of people marching against what they say is unsustainable exploitation of the fisheries.

But one of the investors Tutu Tetuanui said the anger was not justified and many arguments against the plans were incorrect.

Mr Tetuanui said the project was the result of years of talks involving the local councils which had been keen to create jobs.

He told Tahiti-infos that the target is to catch 1,800 tonnes of tuna a year which he said was three times less than what is claimed by his detractors.

Mr Tetuanui said the tuna would be caught for export to China and the US.