Fisheries Subsidies Negotiations: Basic Concepts

The document defines key maritime zones under UNCLOS, the roles of different states in fisheries management, and technical terms related to overcapacity, overfishing, and Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY). It also highlights the impact of different types of fisheries subsidies on stock sustainability.

• Maritime jurisdictions are divided into three primary zones: the territorial sea (up to 12 nautical miles from the baseline), the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ, up to 200 nautical miles), and areas beyond national jurisdiction, also known as the High Seas.
• Fisheries management involves multiple state roles: the coastal state (jurisdiction of the EEZ), the flag state (vessel registration and administration), the port state (control of port access), and the subsidising state (provider of financial support).
• The document distinguishes between overcapacity (where fishing capacity exceeds the level needed to sustainably capture the desired catch), overfishing (where the amount of fish caught is higher than the sustainable level), and overfished stocks (where biomass is too low).
• Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) is the standard for determining if overfishing is occurring (via Fmsy) or if a stock is overfished (via Bmsy), though some WTO members suggest alternative reference points due to the high data requirements of MSY.
• According to OECD data, subsidies designed to reduce the cost of fuel and other variable inputs, such as gear or bait, are the most likely to lead to overfishing and are the least effective at supporting fishers' income.

APA

International Institute for Sustainable Development (n.d.). Fisheries Subsidies Negotiations: Basic Concepts. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/Basic%20concepts.pdf

Chicago

International Institute for Sustainable Development. Fisheries Subsidies Negotiations: Basic Concepts. n.d. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/Basic%20concepts.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=International Institute for Sustainable Development |title=Fisheries Subsidies Negotiations: Basic Concepts |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/Basic%20concepts.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{internationalinstituteforsustainabledevelopmentndfisheries, author = {{International Institute for Sustainable Development}}, title = {{Fisheries Subsidies Negotiations: Basic Concepts}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/Basic%20concepts.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }