The large amount of subsistence fishing carried out and the presence of informal circuits make it very difficult to assess the output as far as fishing on the atolls is concerned.

Only the numbers of fish sold on the markets in the towns of Papeete and Pirae in Tahiti can be quantified.

In 1996, 612 tonnes of fish were transported to Tahiti. The Tuamotu atolls were still the leading producers, with 436.2 tonnes, amounting   to  71.3% of the entire output.

Lagoon fishing accounts for  approximately 10 to 15% of the estimated total annual catch (including the produce of coastal and high sea fishing), which ranges between 5 000 and 6 000 tonnes.

How is this output distributed ?

The "Service des Ressources Marines" records the figures reported by the collecting ships and the municipal markets and the estimated tonnages of fish transported by air, and publish this information in terms of the geographical sectors rather than the atolls involved, as can be seen from the following graph.

Most of the output comes from the Western Tuamotu islands, which are responsible for 90 to 95% of the whole catch, thanks to the proximity of the large Tahitian consumer centres. This proportion has been decreasing, however, since 1995, when it dropped to only 80% as the Eastern and North-Eastern Tuamotu islands began to market their fish for the first time, which resulted in changes in the pattern of distribution.

There are a very few highly productive atolls, namely  Arutua, Kaukura and Tikehau. Unfortunately, the various departments responsible for this sector of activity do not publish records giving the figures involved. The Fisheries Department has produced only a sample of the statistics, those on the fish produce marketed by the commune of Rangiroa, which includes the atolls of Tikehau, Rangiroa, Mataiva  and Makatea.

Tikehau was the most productive atoll during the period under consideration. This atoll benefits from the large number of fish ponds which have been set up on its precincts and from the efficient sea transport services which have been set up, making regular deliveries possible.

The graph shows, however, that an overall decrease has occurred in the atolls' fish production figures. The commune of Rangiroa is the main producer of the salted fish which is best known by its Chinese name, "ha'um". The sea pike or  "oeo uturoa" is the most appropriate fish for this purpose, and this speciality is highly appreciated by both the American (San Francisco and Hawaii) and Asian consumer markets.

The Tuamotu islands account for 54.6% of all the fish marketed on the French Polynesian Territory. It is worth mentioning that most of the lagoon fish caught in the communes of the island of Tahiti are not included in the statistics, since they are sold directly by the fishermen to the consumers at roadside stalls.

The following conclusions were reached by the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI): 

"Generally speaking, but particularly on the Tuamotu islands, the figures available show that the theoretical potential generally advanced by coral specialists has been greatly underestimated. It now seems reasonable to suggest  that as long as rational methods of management are applied, more intensive use could be made of the existing stock of lagoon fish". The ICRI stated moreover that the reason for  this problem was that the fisheries were poorly distributed and handled only a small number of species. "In addition, the largest catches made during the hot season occur when the fish are spawning, which might give rise to problems in some regions as far as the restocking of the waters is concerned".

Since the early 1990's, when new aerodromes began to spring up all over the atolls, some of the fish  transported to Tahiti have been travelling by air. According to the SRM, these exports can be assessed as follows:

From 1990 to 1996, 250 tonnes a year on average.

From 1997 to 1998, 350 tonnes a year.

In 1999, approximately 450 tonnes.

The increase which can be seen to have occurred in the fish freight figures are likely to encourage  both the fish producers and the commercial traders.

Some of the atoll lagoons do not market their fish because many of the fish species (especially the parrot-fish) are toxic as the result of ciguatera. Les Gambiers is just one example of an atoll where this desease occurs. Other atolls, such as Taiaro, which has been a Biosphere sanctuary since 1977, have been protected from unfortunate occurrences of this kind. The protected zone is now being enlarged to include the neighbouring atolls which belong to the commune of Fakarava. 

Puka Puka, the tortoise island, has given up its fishing activities to create a nature reserve, where tortoises are protected while they hatch and the young tortoises are reared in safety.