EEZ Fisheries Access Arrangements and the WTO Subsidies Agreement: Legal Analysis and Options for Improved Disciplines

The document examines the controversy within WTO negotiations over whether government-to-government payments for access to Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ) should be classified as subsidies. While some developing countries, particularly Small Island Developing States (SIDS), view these fees as essential monetary transfers for development, other nations highlight a lack of transparency and negative impacts on the marine environment and international markets. The text notes that these arrangements are primary supply sources for tuna, molluscs, and demersal fishes for Distant Waters Fishing Nations (DWFNs) like Japan and the EU.

• There is a conflict in WTO negotiations between countries dependent on access fees, who fear a reduction in 'North-South monetary transfers', and those concerned about the 'lack of transparency' and negative effects on sustainability and markets.
• Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and other developing nations have suggested that access arrangements, which provide significant income for their budgets, should be excluded from the definition of fishing subsidies.
• Distant Waters Fishing Nations (DWFNs), specifically Japan and the EU, rely on fisheries access arrangements as the primary supply for molluscs, tuna, and certain demersal fishes.

APA

Orellana (2007). EEZ Fisheries Access Arrangements and the WTO Subsidies Agreement: Legal Analysis and Options for Improved Disciplines. Center for International Environmental Law. https://www.ciel.org/reports/eez-fisheries-access-arrangements-and-the-wto-subsidies-agreement-legal-analysis-and-options-for-improved-disciplines-orellana-december-2007-2/

Chicago

Orellana. EEZ Fisheries Access Arrangements and the WTO Subsidies Agreement: Legal Analysis and Options for Improved Disciplines. Center for International Environmental Law, 2007. https://www.ciel.org/reports/eez-fisheries-access-arrangements-and-the-wto-subsidies-agreement-legal-analysis-and-options-for-improved-disciplines-orellana-december-2007-2/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Orellana |title=EEZ Fisheries Access Arrangements and the WTO Subsidies Agreement: Legal Analysis and Options for Improved Disciplines |publisher=Center for International Environmental Law |date=1 December 2007 |url=https://www.ciel.org/reports/eez-fisheries-access-arrangements-and-the-wto-subsidies-agreement-legal-analysis-and-options-for-improved-disciplines-orellana-december-2007-2/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{orellana2007eez, author = {Orellana}, title = {{EEZ Fisheries Access Arrangements and the WTO Subsidies Agreement: Legal Analysis and Options for Improved Disciplines}}, institution = {Center for International Environmental Law}, year = {2007}, month = dec, url = {https://www.ciel.org/reports/eez-fisheries-access-arrangements-and-the-wto-subsidies-agreement-legal-analysis-and-options-for-improved-disciplines-orellana-december-2007-2/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }