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Fisheries Subsidies

IISD's work on fisheries, trade and sustainable development contributes to crafting multilateral and regional trade rules and policies that support sustainable fishing. We are focused on supporting the current World Trade Organization negotiations to end harmful fisheries subsidies by 2020, recognizing the need to restore the sustainability of fish stocks while supporting livelihoods and food security, particularly in developing countries.

Policy Briefs: Support to Fuel Consumption for Fisheries

Government support aimed at reducing the costs of fuel for fishers is a frequently used policy tool in both OECD and non-OECD economies, despite the negative environmental and socioeconomic consequences associated with these types of measures. Based on the information available in WTO subsidy notifications, WTO trade policy review reports and the OECD’s Fisheries Support Estimate database, this brief suggest that US

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Reports: Exploración de los Posibles Impactos de las Reglas de la OMC Sobre Subsidios a la Pesca: El Caso del Camarón en la Costa Oeste de América Latina

(English below) Las pesquerías de camarón en el Pacífico Oriental Tropical son económicamente valiosas, pero han sufrido de sobrecapacidad y de sobrexplotación secuencial. De los subsidios concedidos a estas pesquerías, aquellos al combustible parecen ser los más frecuentes; sin embargo, su impacto varía: los subsidios parecen ser importantes para la rentabilidad de algunas flotas camaroneras, pero no parecen sig

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News: Fisheries Subsidies Negotiations at the WTO Gather Pace: USA rejects the idea of blanket exemptions for developing countries

December 18, 2019
Alice Tipping, who leads the Global Subsidies Initiative’s work on fisheries subsidies, reports on the latest round of negotiations towards an agreement on fisheries subsidies at the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Geneva. Highlights The latest round of negotiations towards a WTO agreement on fisheries subsidies was held in Geneva, Switzerland, from December 4 to 6, 2019. Members discussed reports from six fac

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