FISHERY COUNTRY PROFILE Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations FID/CP/FRA Rev.3 February 1996 PROFIL DE LA PÊCHE PAR PAYS Organisation des Nations Unies pour l'alimentation et l'agriculture RESUMEN INFORMATIVO SOBRE LA PESCA POR PAISES Organización de las Naciones Unidas para la Agricultura y la Alimentación

THE FRENCH REPUBLIC

GENERAL ECONOMIC DATA

FISHERIES DATA

Commodity balance (1993)

STRUCTURE AND CHARACTERISTICS OF THE FISHING INDUSTRY

Marine fisheries

In 1993, the French fishing fleet comprised 7 021 vessels. Since 1988, fishing capacity has fallen very sharply, particularly following reduction measures to regulate fishing capacity, which were instituted under the Community Multiannual Guidance Programmes.

Most of the fleet (73%) is made up of small craft of under 12 metres, which employ half the on-board work force. Small-scale offshore trawlers of 16-25 metres constitute the second largest section, accounting for 14% of vessels, 26% of total tonnage and most landings in French ports.

Regarding larger vessels, a significant number of wet trawlers of over 50 metres have disappeared in recent years, and the 15 or so remaining craft are all fairly old. The French fleet of deep-sea freezer-trawlers is restricted to 10 craft owing to the very sharp reduction in quotas, particularly for cod in the Northwest Atlantic. The fleet also includes 34 ocean-going tuna vessels operating in the tropical waters of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.

The main activities of the French fleet are concentrated in European Union waters.

Inland fisheries

Apart from its five major river systems (the Seine, Loire, Garonne, Rhône and Rhine), France has 60 000 ha of lakes and 100 000 ha of smaller lakes, ponds and marshes. There are no production statistics for sport fishing, although it is widely practised.

The largest sector in French fish-farming is intensive rainbow trout farming, with production reaching 40 000 t in 1993. Several sturgeon farms are also being established. Pond-bred carp, perch, and pike, plus eels, make up the rest of production.

Marine aquaculture

Marine aquaculture in France is dominated by oyster farming, and to a lesser degree by mussel farming. Oyster production amounted to 148 467 t in 1993, representing a turnover of FF 1 796.7 million and making France the foremost European producer. Mussel production amounted to 64 416 t.

French production of other species is still somewhat limited. The main species are bass and sea bream, with about forty farms producing 2 193 t and 1 158 t respectively in 1993. Other species include sea-bred salmonid (1 800 t), peneidae shrimps (785 t) mainly bred in New Caledonia, and turbot, with four farms in western France (about 630 t ).

Utilization of the catch

Production is for human consumption. Only unsold products and offal are used for other purposes (animal feed, meal, fertilizer, bait etc.).

Apart from frozen tropical tuna and the distant-water catch, most of the products landed are eaten fresh.

For a long time, in terms of tonnage produced, the canning industry in the restricted sense was the main industry. Production has stabilized over the past five years at about 60 000-65 000 t, although the past ten years have seen a very marked fall in the number of companies involved. Tuna accounts for half the production, and mackerel and sardines for most of the rest.

The frozen food industry, comprising mainly cooked dishes and breaded fish, is steadily expanding, with nearly 90 000 t in 1993. Production of smoked delicatessen fish and surimi products is also being boosted.

Despite continuous growth in the consumption of processed products, demand is still mainly for fresh products. In 1993, fresh products amounted to 53% of the total value of produce destined for human consumption, while frozen produce amounted to 22%, cured produce (smoked, salted, dried and for the catering trade) to 15%, and canned produce to 10%.

The growth of large-scale distribution is having a very sharp impact on the marketing of fishery products. The proportion of products sold through hyper- and supermarkets rose to 51.1% in 1993, as against a mere 35.6% in 1988. The effects on the fisheries sector include increased pressure on prices, a steady reduction in middlemen, and a concentration of upstream operators.

State of the industry

The relative stable level of landings in recent years masks the growing economic difficulties facing the French fishing fleet.

One set of problems are linked to the growing scarcity of resources. Apart from its direct effect on fishery yields, this scarcity has led both national and European Union authorities to impose very strict measures in order to monitor and restrict catches, notably by adopting quotas according to species, zone and country, and through programmes to modify fishing capacity.

Other problems are linked to the globalization of trade, which facilitates access of low-priced products to the French market. Another problem is monetary deregulation within Europe, which in 1993 and again in 1994 led to very marked falls in producer prices (-16% at constant franc-denominated prices between 1992 and 1994), and cast many fleet operators into very severe financial straits. Consequently, many vessels have had to increase their effort (number of days at sea) in order to make up in part for the resulting fall in turnover by increasing landings.

Economic role of the fishing industry

Globally, the marine fishery sector holds a marginal place in the French economy. In 1993, the number of people directly employed covered barely 0.3% of the active population. However, political and economic decision makers are becoming increasingly aware of the essential economic role that fisheries and related activities play in certain regions.

DEVELOPMENT PROSPECTS

Current pressure on stocks and restricted access to third party waters make any increase in production highly unlikely. Only a few sectors (tuna fishing in particular, and exploitation of new species such as deep-sea species) offer some avenues for expansion.

As regards fishing activities themselves, the retirement of vessels, whether voluntary or from a shut-down of activities, should be offset by increased productivity and greater fishing effort by the most modern and efficient parts of the fleet. Apart from this, the structure of the fleet itself should change little. After the extensive renewal and heavy investments of the late 1980s, the current difficulties of many operators are not likely to encourage further investment.

The main changes should concern the structure and functioning of the sector under the combined pressure of market liberalization and greater large-scale distribution.

The future of the processing sector should be shaped by consumer demand for increasingly sophisticated products, and the pressure of international competition.

RESEARCH

Most fisheries research in France is carried out by the Institut français de recherche pour l’exploitation des océans (IFREMER), which employs about 1 200 people, and covers both living resources (biology, stock monitoring and assessment, fish technology, aquaculture, product development, fishery economics) and physical oceanography. It has a number of centres and stations all along the French coast, as well as in overseas departments and territories.

Several other public bodies are also engaged in fishery, oceanography and fish farming research: the French Institute of Scientific Research for Cooperative Development (ORSTOM), which specializes in tropical-zone research; the Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS), which is more concerned with fundamental research; and the National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA), which is concerned with fish farming. The ad hoc support of certain universities and the Centre national du machinisme agricole, du génie rural et des forêts (CEMAGREF), should also be mentioned.