Htofau Fish Market connects Futuna fishermen to buyers in Tanna

March 10, 2026 10:21 pm | Posted in Business News | Share now TwitterFacebook

By Sabrina Tabi.

Htofau Fish Market at Lenakel on Tanna is helping connect fishermen from Futuna Island with buyers on Tanna, creating new opportunities for local livelihoods and improving access to fresh seafood for communities.

The market was established earlier this year by a local entrepreneur, Alvan Natuoivi. Natuoivi said the fish market was created mainly to support fishermen from Futuna, who have limited opportunities to sell their catch locally due to a small population.

The initiative helps meet the demand for seafood on Tanna while expanding market access for Futuna fishermen.

Transportation between the islands can sometimes be inconsistent, thus the market also sources fish from other fishermen in TAFEA Province when necessary.

Natuoivi explained that the idea is to turn what was previously an informal trading arrangement into a more structured and reliable system.

“This approach helps create a clear product value chain, where each participant plays a specific role in bringing fish from the ocean to the marketplace,” he said.

“Under this system, fishermen focus on catching and storing their fish properly in coolers after fishing.

“Meanwhile, Htofau Fish Market acts as an aggregator, purchasing the fish from fishermen and taking responsibility for transporting it to the market where it can be sold.

“By separating these roles, fishermen can concentrate on their main work—fishing—while the market takes care of the logistics and marketing. This system aims to improve efficiency, reduce challenges faced by individual fishermen when selling their catch, and strengthen the overall seafood supply chain within the province.”

The name “Htofau” comes from a Burao tree that stands at the founder’s family home. In the Futuna language, Burau tree is known as “Fau,” and the name reflects the cultural connection between the project and the islands of TAFEA Province.

Htofau Fish Market is registered as a business entity with the Vanuatu Financial Services Commission.