Potential Implementation Steps of a WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies

The document outlines a framework for WTO members to implement a potential agreement on fisheries subsidies. It suggests a general process involving the creation of subsidy inventories, the design of reform programs, and the establishment of inter-agency coordination mechanisms. It provides specific implementation steps for three disciplines: IUU fishing (focusing on infringement data and subsidy withdrawal), overfished stocks (focusing on stock assessment and precautionary removal), and overfishing/overcapacity (discussing various measurement and capping approaches). Finally, it argues that international donors should shift technical assistance toward subsidy reform and compliance, noting a current gap in donor support for these specific activities.

• The first essential step for any WTO member following a subsidies agreement is to create a comprehensive inventory of all subsidies provided by the government or public bodies, including the recipient, providing agency, and subsidy level.
• Implementing the IUU fishing discipline requires a system to gather infringement data from coastal, flag, port states, or RFMOs and a legal mechanism to ensure the timely withdrawal of subsidies from identified vessels or operators.
• For the overfished stocks discipline, members must determine stock status using either objective definitions or jurisdiction-specific designations, potentially using alternative indicators like catch per unit of effort for data-poor members.
• Addressing overcapacity and overfishing involves complex measurements of fishing capacity (such as boat number, size, and horsepower) and may be implemented through prohibitions on specific cost-reducing subsidies, capping total subsidy levels, or banning subsidies for vessels flying flags of convenience.
• There is a significant gap in international donor support for subsidy reform; research from 2012 to 2017 showed USD 3.4 billion in fisheries-related assistance, but no evidence of support specifically for subsidy reform.
• Successful reform requires a unified government approach, including the establishment of a 'lead agency' (typically the ministry of fisheries) and coordination mechanisms like memorandums of understanding (MoUs) and standard operating procedures (SOPs) between finance, trade, and fisheries departments.

APA

Redding, T., & Macfadyen, G. (2020). Potential Implementation Steps of a WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/steps-wto-agreement-fisheries-subsidies.pdf

Chicago

Redding, Theresa, and Graeme Macfadyen. Potential Implementation Steps of a WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2020. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/steps-wto-agreement-fisheries-subsidies.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Redding |first1=Theresa |last2=Macfadyen |first2=Graeme |title=Potential Implementation Steps of a WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=April 2020 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/steps-wto-agreement-fisheries-subsidies.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{redding2020potential, author = {Redding, Theresa and Macfadyen, Graeme}, title = {{Potential Implementation Steps of a WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2020}, month = apr, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/steps-wto-agreement-fisheries-subsidies.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }