In a meeting with Overseas Territories Minister Brigitte Girardin in Paris on Friday, Polynesia President Oscar Temaru took stock of Polynesian economic issues such as the fishing industry.
The Polynesian delegation led by Temaru brought up the future of the fishing industry in Polynesia and particularly the Hao atoll (Tuamotu archipelago) project. He underlined the present crisis in the fishing industry. “Tuna is getting scarce. Polynesian fishermen must sail as far as Kiribati islands to fish. Fishing agreements must be negotiated with these islands. The question is the responsibility of French State Departmentâ€, he said.
In reaction to his request to meet French Prime Minister, which was left without response, Oscar Temaru pointed out: “I think we picked up a wrong time. It is recess and staff appointments time. The President of the French Republic was unavailable for the same reasons. But this is not our last visit in Franceâ€.