Wooden boats seized for illegal fishing in New Caledonia are being dismantled as part of a training programme for young job seekers.
A 'blue boat' Photo: AFP
Local television reported that so far six of the so-called blue boats from Vietnam have been taken apart in Noumea, with a total of 300 tons of wood left for recycling.
The vessels were intercepted last year when dozens of Vietnamese fishing boats were caught poaching beche-de-mer in Melanesia.
France tried and jailed several captains and repatriated the crews.
Under the government-sponsored Green Destiny programme, young people are being given practical skills by taking apart the boats.
There is hope to make mobile huts for tourists out of the vessels' hull.