The Negotiation to End Harmful Fishing Subsidies

Background

Governments hand out $35 billion in fisheries subsidies every year with $22 billion of which disburses to harmful fishing subsidies. 

The UN Food and Agriculture Organization estimated that ⅓ of the global fish stocks are overfished compared to 1/10 of that in 1974. Biologically sustainable fish stock is recorded to have plunged from 90% to less than 66% from 1960 to 2017. 

The Global Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations reported in 2020 that fish consumption has risen statically in the last 60 years, with global fish production reaching 179 million tons in 2018, the highest ever. 

How does fishing harm the climate?

With ⅔ of the subsidies going to commercial fishers, there is for fuel and larger boats expanding on of already large fleets. Operations also intensify in countries that have depleted their own stock, as larger boats allow them to travel longer miles to exploit distant water resources. 

“Local fisherfolk in hand-made canoes are competing against industrial mega-trawlers using mile-long nets to scoop up everything from seabed to surface.” (Washington Times)

For instance, if China, who accounts for 42% of the global fishing activity, sails it's boats all the way to Senegal, where fishers only have just enough resources to get them to fish along their coastlines; these vulnerable fishing communities would suffer from rapidly depleted fish stocks. Even the smallest of fishes get scraped off the seabeds by those heavily subsidised foreign fleets, massively drawing concerns to their sole dependent channel of money-earning and being self-sufficient. 

Could this possibly be a warning to issues arising under the 2nd goal, ‘Zero Hunger’, and 10th goal, ‘Reduced Inequalities’, in addition to the 14th goal, ‘Life Below Water’, of the UN Sustainable Development Goals? 

The dumping of sewage, wastewater, and human waste is inevitable as fishermen travel longer distances on the big vessels. That led to the growth of algae in clusters on coral reefs, thus destroying them. The restoration of fishes is also threatened as fishes may feed on the algae. 

What about the conference?

“If we wait another 20 years, there may be no marine fisheries left to subsidize - or artisanal fishing communities to support” said Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of WTO. 

Nearly 40 million people earn out of fishing, and almost half of the world’s population relies on fish as a staple protein. Overfishing affects not only food chains in the ocean, but on land as well. When the number of boats overrides the few fishes available in the seas, this automatically reflects a shortage in stock. 

“Concluding this negotiation is important for delivering on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and protecting of course the long-term health of the world’s oceans, and also for proving that the multilateral trading system can work” said Greg Hands, the UK’s Minister for Trade Policy.

That means while the livelihood and food security of poor and vulnerable fishers in developing and underdeveloped countries are important, so is upholding the sustainable objectives of the negotiations. This creates the paradox between maintaining great support for the affected fishers and making sure the long-term environmental impacts are taken care of. 

Progress? 

The members unanimously agreed on keeping small-scale fishers in developing countries protected from the change with Special Differential Treatment. 

Ideally, where harmful fisheries subsidies are eliminated, 12.5% of the fish biomass could be restored by 2050. However, the latest draft agreement text would only “yield an increase of 1.59% over that same period” (Isabel Jarett, manager of the Pew Charitable Trusts’ project to end harmful fisheries subsidies)

More discussions on the transparency of information and what defines illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing will commence in the coming months leading to the next big meeting in November. 

If we need to see significant changes for the good of the environment and the minimisation of gaps between advanced nations and developing countries, one thing for certain is that those 164 WTO members must be more proactive in agreeing on proposals during negotiations.  

By Ottilie Cheung