Exploring the Possible Impacts of WTO Rules on Fisheries Subsidies: The Case of the Southern Longline Tuna Fishery in the Western and Central Pacific

This case study by the International Institute for Sustainable Development examines how potential World Trade Organization (WTO) rules to discipline fisheries subsidies could impact the southern longline tuna fishery in the Western and Central Pacific, specifically regarding economic overfishing and the role of distant water fishing nations.

• The southern longline tuna fishery in the Western and Central Pacific is experiencing economic overfishing. While stocks of bigeye, yellowfin, and albacore tuna remain healthy, the high number of operating vessels has led to a decline in the quantity of fish caught per unit of fishing effort.
• Subsidies are utilized by several fleets in the fishery, particularly by distant water fishing nations that account for the majority of the total catch. For some of these vessels, catch revenues may not be sufficient to cover operating costs, meaning a WTO subsidy prohibition could reduce their ability to operate and lower overall fishing effort.
• The implementation of new subsidy rules could create a short-term negative impact on domestic processing within Pacific Island countries due to the exit of affected vessels. However, a reduction in fishing effort could improve the fishery's overall economic state and allow Pacific Islands to develop their own domestic tuna industries.
• The WTO negotiations regarding fisheries subsidies, aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 14.6 of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, focus on three primary areas: subsidies contributing to illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing; subsidies for stocks already overfished; and subsidies contributing to broader overcapacity and overfishing.

APA

Cartwright,, S. S. (2019). Exploring the Possible Impacts of WTO Rules on Fisheries Subsidies: The Case of the Southern Longline Tuna Fishery in the Western and Central Pacific. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/publications/fisheries-subsidies-southern-longline-tuna-pacific

Chicago

Cartwright,, Sevaly Sen,Ian. Exploring the Possible Impacts of WTO Rules on Fisheries Subsidies: The Case of the Southern Longline Tuna Fishery in the Western and Central Pacific. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2019. https://www.iisd.org/publications/fisheries-subsidies-southern-longline-tuna-pacific.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Cartwright, |first1=Sevaly Sen,Ian |title=Exploring the Possible Impacts of WTO Rules on Fisheries Subsidies: The Case of the Southern Longline Tuna Fishery in the Western and Central Pacific |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=24 December 2019 |url=https://www.iisd.org/publications/fisheries-subsidies-southern-longline-tuna-pacific |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{cartwright2019exploring, author = {Cartwright,, Sevaly Sen,Ian}, title = {{Exploring the Possible Impacts of WTO Rules on Fisheries Subsidies: The Case of the Southern Longline Tuna Fishery in the Western and Central Pacific}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2019}, month = dec, url = {https://www.iisd.org/publications/fisheries-subsidies-southern-longline-tuna-pacific}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }