Camp population has been declining for a long period, influenced both by the break-up of the large farms and the worldwide decline in demand for wool. This decline has now accelerated to the extent that there are currently only about seventy families on the whole of West Falkland, plus another twenty on the islands. The base has been designed to be very largely self-contained. The total labour force of the Islands is about 1,300. A number of small businesses provide a range of services, but there is extremely limited manufacturing, fabricating or construction capacity, and the services required to meet the demanding standards of the international oil industry are still relatively undeveloped.
Fishing now dominates the economy.
At the height of the season from March to June, between 5,000 to 7,000 fishermen on some 120 vessels were working in Falkland waters. Yet with the shore based economy remain tenuous. Most of the fishing vessels are in foreign ownership and have foreign crews. Many of these vessels are virtually self sufficient for supplies and gain what requirements they have from the reefer vessels calling to export the fish or from visits to South American mainland ports. The Falklands provide agency services, freshwater, some fresh produce, emergency medical services and some engineering and servicing facilities.