Tuna fishing has been important in Pacific Island countries for centuries, but prior to 1900 this activity was restricted to small-scale fishing, mainly using canoes just outside the reef. Various forms of industrial tuna fishing were attempted in the past century, but only three types have enjoyed any degree of commercial success: purse-seining, longlining, and pole-and-line fishing. A fourth type of tuna fishing, trolling, is not undertaken on an industrial scale in the Pacific Islands, but some industrial tuna trollers are based in the region and troll in temperate waters to the south. The four main industrial gear types and associated vessels are shown in Figure 2.
