French Southern Territories

The French Southern Territories (long name: Territory of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands, French: Territoire des Terres australes et antarctiques françaises or Terres australes et antarctiques françaises or T.A.A.F. or TAAF) are antarctic, volcanic islands in the southern Indian Ocean, south of Africa and about equidistant between Africa, Antarctica, and Australia.

Economy

The territory's natural resources are limited to fish and crayfish; economic activity is limited to servicing meteorological and geophysical research stations and French and other fishing fleets.

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The main fish resources are Patagonian toothfish and Spiny lobster. Both are poached by foreign fleets; because of this, the French Navy and occasionally other services patrol the zone and arrest poaching vessels. Such arrests can result in heavy fines and/or the seizure of the ship.

Related Topics:
Patagonian toothfish - Spiny lobster - French Navy

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France used to sell licenses to fish the Patagonian toothfish to foreign fisheries; because of overfishing, it is now restricted to a small number of fisheries from Réunion Island.

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The territory takes in revenues of about $18 million a year.

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Marion Dufresne can host a limited number of fee-paying tourists, who will be able to visit the islands as the ship calls.

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