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

This executive summary examines the potential impacts of proposed World Trade Organization (WTO) fisheries subsidy rules on the Southern Longline (SLL) tuna fishery in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean. The study focuses on South Pacific albacore and analyzes six primary fleets to determine how prohibitions on subsidies for illegal fishing, overfished stocks, and overcapacity would affect vessel profitability and regional management.

• The Southern Longline (SLL) fishery is primarily targeted at South Pacific albacore, with 2017 catches totaling just under 93,000 tonnes and a value of approximately USD 268 million. Six fleets—China, Chinese Taipei, Fiji, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, and French Polynesia—account for 80 per cent of these catches.
• Financial estimates suggest that vessels over 24 metres from China and Chinese Taipei may be unable to operate without financial assistance, as their catch revenues appear insufficient to cover operating costs. In contrast, Fijian longliners appear able to cover their operating costs, with fuel and bait tax rebates having a negligible effect.
• While illegal unlicenced fishing is negligible, the fishery suffers from misreporting and illegal transshipment at sea, resulting in annual losses of approximately USD 150 million. These issues are driven by poor monitoring of transshipment, paper-based reporting, and limited observer coverage, which is sometimes below 5 per cent.
• Target stocks are currently healthy, but the oceanic whitetip shark is assessed as overfished. Consequently, a WTO subsidy prohibition targeting only overfished target stocks would likely have no impact, whereas a rule covering bycatch or unassessed stocks would apply to all tuna fisheries in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean.
• The fishery is experiencing economic overfishing, characterized by a decline in catch per unit effort (CPUE). Subsidies for operating costs, such as fuel, have likely allowed some fleets to continue fishing despite this lack of profitability, maintaining an uneconomically high level of effort.
• Prohibiting subsidies for operating costs (including fuel) or fishing beyond national jurisdiction could reduce overall effort, particularly for Chinese and Chinese Taipei fleets. While fuel subsidy removal could encourage fuel-efficient engines, it might also shift fishing effort to the high seas or unregulated fisheries and increase costs for Pacific Island country (PIC) vessels.
• The exit of vessels due to new WTO rules might cause short-term losses in fee revenues and processing volumes for Pacific Island countries. However, reducing overall effort could increase CPUE and profitability for remaining vessels, allowing these countries to increase access fees and develop domestic tuna industries.

APA

International Institute for Sustainable Development (n.d.). Exploring the Possible Impacts of WTO Rules on Fisheries Subsidies: The Case of the Southern Longline Tuna Fishery in the Western and Central Pacific | Summary. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/fisheries-subsidies-tuna-pacific-summary-en.pdf

Chicago

International Institute for Sustainable Development. Exploring the Possible Impacts of WTO Rules on Fisheries Subsidies: The Case of the Southern Longline Tuna Fishery in the Western and Central Pacific | Summary. n.d. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/fisheries-subsidies-tuna-pacific-summary-en.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=International Institute for Sustainable Development |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 | Summary |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/fisheries-subsidies-tuna-pacific-summary-en.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{internationalinstituteforsustainabledevelopmentndexploring, author = {{International Institute for Sustainable Development}}, 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 | Summary}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/fisheries-subsidies-tuna-pacific-summary-en.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }