斐濟群島於1960 年代中期以後與日本合作成立 Pacific Fishing Company Ltd.（PAFCO），陸續在 Levuka 建立冷凍庫、製冰廠，與罐頭廠等設施，之後其規模逐漸擴大，就吸引台灣船隊前往南太平洋捕長鰭鮪來賣給 PAFCO 作為罐頭原料，也有大目鮪、黃鰭鮪來供應日本生魚片市場，因此斐濟群島成為台灣漁船在南太平洋最大的漁業基地。以斐濟群島為基地的台灣漁船，其漁場極少在斐濟的專屬經濟海域（EEZ）內，反而在其鄰近漁業資源較豐富的萬那杜、所羅門群島、吉里巴斯等國的海域及其周邊的公海，因這些漁場範圍內的小島國中，以斐濟群島的陸地面積最大，人口最多，治安良好，港灣設備完善，位置適中，最適合當作南太平洋的漁業基地。斐濟的Nadi國際機場是南太平洋諸島國航線的樞紐，供應日本的生魚片市場可分別經紐西蘭、澳洲、南韓轉機運到東京、大阪。並且，在各太平洋島國等與歐盟間有Cotonou協定(有關國貿關稅優惠)下，有利於斐濟PAFCO 的水產品進入歐洲市場。

In the 1960's, the Fiji Islands joined with Japan to establish the Pacific Fishing Company Limited (PAFCO). This was followed by building freezer, ice manufacturing plant and cannery in Levuka. As the scope of operations gradually enlarged, fishing boats from Taiwan made their way to the South Pacific to catch albacore tuna to sell to the PAFCO cannery as well as bigeye tuna and yellowfin tuna for the Japanese sashimi market. This made the Fiji Islands Taiwan's largest fishing base in the South Pacific. While the Fiji Islands did become the base for Taiwan fishing boats, very little fishing was done on the Fiji Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Most of the fishing was being done in the seas nearby in the EEZ around Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands and Kiribiti. The reason, however, that the Fiji Islands were chosen as the base was because compared to the other island nations in the South Pacific, Fiji offered the largest land area, largest population, best public security, most complete harbor facilities and most suitable location in the South Pacific. The Nadi International Airport in Fiji is an international hub in the South Pacific. Sashimi grade tuna can thus be sent to Tokyo and Osaka through New Zealand, Australia and South Korea respectively. Furthermore, under the Cotonou Agreement (on international trade and duties) between the ACP and EU countries, Fiji receives preferential access to European market for PAFCO products.