Status of Fish Aggregating Device (FAD) fisheries in Tonga
1 : Fisheries Division of Ministry of Agriculture & Fodd, Forest and Fisheries
(MAFFF)
* : Corresponding author
Fisheries Division of Ministry of Agriculture & Fodd, Forest and Fisheries
PO Box 871 Nuku'alofa Tonga -
France
The primary purpose of Tonga's national FAD programme is to assist with the development of domestic fisheries in Tonga. FADs have been used, with varying success, around the Tongan islands since the 1980's. In the early 1990's, the FAD program was expanded to the northern groups of Ha'apai and Vava'u and, in 2004, several FADs were deployed at the northern-most islands of Niua Foou and Niu Toputapu. In 2007, FAD work was one of the main activities under the Community-Based Fisheries Management Programme (Special Management Areas), in an attempt to try and to relieve fishing pressure in inshore areas. Four FADs were deployed under this program in the Ha'apai group. Later, in 2008 - 2009, two more FADs were deployed in Tongatapu and Vava'u under the same program. Two types of FADs are used in Tonga, the floating FAD and the sub-surface FAD. Currently, the sub-surface design is predominantly used due to a number of problems encountered with the floating design. The FAD fishery is still under developed in Tonga, however, the Fisheries division is seeking renewed assistance to strengthen the development of this fishery.
| Subject : | : | oral |
| Language of text | : | English |
| Topics | : | 1- Artisanal Fisheries and moored FAD programs |
| Keywords | : | FADs Fisheries Management Programme Special Areas |
| PDF version | : |  PDF version |
