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

The document examines the controversy surrounding fisheries access arrangements in WTO negotiations, noting the conflict between Small Island Developing States (SIDS) that rely on access fees for development and the sustainability concerns regarding the practices of Distant Waters Fishing Nations (DWFNs) like Japan and the EU.

• Within WTO fisheries subsidies negotiations, access arrangements—typically government-to-government payments for access to developing countries' Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ)—are a point of contention. While there is consensus on disciplining subsidies that lead to over-capacity and over-harvesting, countries dependent on access fees fear that new rules would decrease North-South monetary transfers.
• Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and other nations have suggested that access arrangements should be excluded from the definition of fishing subsidies because these payments are significant income sources used to meet legitimate development needs.
• Distant Waters Fishing Nations (DWFNs), specifically Japan and the EU, rely on fisheries access arrangements as the primary supply for molluscs, some demersal fishes, and tuna. These nations maintain significant fisheries budgets consisting of financial credits, subsidies on fishing vessels, fisheries access payments, and compensation on joint ventures.

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} }