French industry under threat: Dwindling marine catches, intense global competition and encroaching European Union restrictions has plunged the French fishing industry into disarray

摘要

France is the third-largest fish producer in Europe, beaten by Denmark and Spain but ahead of the UK. With a coastline facing three seas and an abundance of overseas territories, it is blessed with a plethora of different species including 150 fish, shellfish, crustaceans and mollusc species. Yet it ranks only 29th in the world in terms of tonnage of catch, according to the FAO's latest ranking (2004).