US EditionWhat Will Change the Wto Agreement on Ending Harmful Subsidies to Fisheries?
The WTO Agreement aims to eliminate harmful fishing subsidies, supporting sustainable fisheries and small-scale fishers while addressing $11.2 billion annual losses from illegal fishing in Africa.
- The WTO's Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies, commonly referred to as Fish One, officially took effect on September 15 following over twenty years of negotiations and the ratification by at least two-thirds of its member countries.
- The agreement seeks to eliminate subsidies that promote fishing activities that are unlawful, unreported, or unregulated, as well as fishing targeting depleted fish populations, addressing harmful financial support estimated at $22 billion annually.
- For Africa, where fish supplies 18% of animal protein and supports over 12 million livelihoods, 23 of 45 WTO African members have ratified the treaty that seeks to level the playing field against subsidized industrial fleets.
- The agreement established a Fisheries Funding Mechanism with over $18 million pledged to help developing countries build monitoring and enforcement capacity through grants up to $300,000.
- While the agreement marks a critical step for sustainability and equitable fisheries management, ongoing negotiations on a second package called Fish Two remain stalled and implementation at national levels will determine future success.
12 Articles
12 Articles
Conservation news
ecotopical.com24 years on, part one of WTO treaty curbing fisheries subsidies takes effect
Part one of the World Trade Organization (WTO)’s treaty to ban harmful fisheries subsidies finally came into force Sept. 15. WTO member states adopted the treaty in June 2022 following a grueling 21-year negotiation. The agreement, dubbed “Fish One,” aims to improve ocean sustainability by banning government subsidies that support the fishing of already-overfished stocks […]
Trade dep’t sees fisherfolk benefiting from WTO agreement restricting fishing subsidies - BusinessWorld Online
THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies is expected to help fisherfolk by halting support for commercial fishing operations that deplete marine resources. “For the Philippines… where fisheries are central to livelihood and food security, the entry into force of the agreement strengthens global efforts to protect marine resources and promote fair competition for small-s…
Liberia: New WTO Fisheries Deal - Liberia Could Stand Up to Subsidized Foreign Fleets, but...
On the beaches of Cape Mount to Cape Palmas, Liberian canoe fishers share the same frustration: foreign trawlers storming close to shore, destroying nets, and carrying away fish that used to feed families and sustain communities. These trawlers, often flagged to China, Spain, and other distant nations, don't survive on efficiency alone. They are kept afloat by subsidies -- cheap fuel, tax breaks, and grants for building massive vessels -- handed…
Okonjo-Iweala: Fisheries deal could be a ‘turning point’ for the WTO
The entry into force of the World Trade Organization Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies could be a “turning point” offering members the chance to “harness this energy towards other ongoing negotiations and issues,” Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said in Geneva this week. She spoke at a special General Council meeting on Monday, when members celebrated the deal’s entry into force following 111 acceptances. It “commits members to curbing billi…
Negotiated for the past 25 years, the first part of the World Trade Organisation agreement on fisheries subsidies came into force on Monday and requires States to take into account the sustainability of the activities they support. However, the issue of overcapacity of fishing vessels is not addressed and the agreement can still be overturned if the second part is not adopted.
WTO Fisheries Agreement Enters Into Force
The World Trade Organization's Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies took effect Sept. 15 during a special General Council meeting after instruments of acceptance were received from Brazil, Kenya, Vietnam and Tonga, the WTO announced. Those acceptances brought the total number over...
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