Mauritius is an island off the coast of the African continent in the Southwest Indian Ocean, about 900 km East of Madagascar.

Its economy is based on sugarcane plantations, tourism, textiles and services  and a tuna processing industry. It has the second highest GDP (Gross Domestic Product) per capita in all of Africa.

Looking at the fishery sector Mauritius is an attractive platform for transshipment and for value-added seafood activities. Its exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) measures 1,9 million square km with a reasonable stock of various fish. The main species caught by the local fleet are the lethrinids, scarids, sigannids and mullets. Tuna however is mostly caught outside of the EEZ by foreign tuna fishing vessels – from Spain, France, Japan, Taiwan and other fishing nations. Tuna plays a significant role in Mauritian fishery sector. Tuna fishery is the major industrial fishery of the island and exploits the tuna resources in the South West Indian Ocean.

Mauritius is home to 2 major tuna processing facilities.  Princes Tuna Mauritius (PTM), a canning factory employing about 2000 persons. And Thon de Mascareignes, a joint Mauritian-Spanish venture, which started operation in 2005 with a projected production of about 50.000 M/T of loins annually.

In 2006 Mauritius exported to the EU and USA together 41.417 M/T of tuna products. Canned was the major item with 25.895 M/T or 2.916.104 cartons (48x185g), pre-cooked loins were the second in terms of volume with 15.186 M/T, while frozen tuna with 253 M/T and fresh tuna with 83 M/T were the lower volume exports.

The EU was definitely the main destination for 33.821 M/T of Mauritian tuna products in 2006. All of Mauritius its canned tuna production was shipped exclusively to European markets, while 51% of the total quantity of pre cooked loins went to European canneries.

Last year from January to June Mauritius exported 16.813 M/T or 1.893.356 units of canned which were 5% more than during the same period in 2006. The country also delivered more frozen tuna which amount rose from 132 M/T to 326 M/T over six months last year but at the same time the exported volume of pre-cooked loins went down by 6% and was at the level of 3.799 M/T.

UK was the main destination for Mauritian canned tuna, while Spain took almost all of the pre-cooked loins.  In total the entire Mauritian supply to the EU rose by 4% over the first two quarters of 2007.

The decline in demand for tuna from the US market was also felt in Mauritius.. The island exported to the US in 2007 6.966 M/T of tuna or 9% less. Pre-cooked loins were the major product to the American market – accounting for 98% of the total exported volume. Fresh and frozen tuna had only a tiny share.

The current situation is a total change from what was exported to the US before 2005 . Until then the Indian Ocean Island exported only frozen Albacore or Fresh Yellowfin to the States.  After 2005 the country has started to switch its US destined export away from frozen whole round albacore and to frozen pre-cooked albacore loins. Thus adding a lot more value for the local economy.

Mauritius has been working hard to become a seafood hub within the Indian Ocean for tuna purse seiners and long liners. In 2004 there were 250 tuna vessels that called into the free zone port for transshipment, warehousing  bunkering, repairs, maintenance and dry docking and this generates significant revenue for the country.

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