Call to ditch fishing subsidies

New Zealand has led an international call for action to eliminate harmful fishing subsidies.

Trade Minister Todd McClay, along with a number of colleagues from around the world, released a statement at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Ministerial Conference in Nairobi recently.


Trade Minister Todd McClay says subsidies are one of the most significant contributors to overfishing.

'Fisheries subsidies are a serious issue,” says Todd. 'They impact negatively on trade, the environment and development.

'Fish products are one of the world's most highly-traded commodities, and subsidies distort this trade.

'Fishing industries from many of the world's smaller states cannot afford to compete with large heavily subsidised fleets.”

Todd says it's also a serious environmental issue and fish stocks around the world are overfished.

'Subsidies are one of the most significant contributors to overfishing,” he says. 'And it is also a development issue, particularly in the Pacific.

'Subsidies contribute to there being too many vessels, and this impacts on the health of fish stocks which are one of the most significant resources available to many Pacific Islands.”

New Zealand has a long history of working with other countries to address fisheries subsidies, in the WTO and elsewhere.

'Unfortunately, fish stocks continue to decline while fisheries subsidies continue to increase,” says Todd.

The statement sets out participants' intention to reinvigorate work in the WTO on ambitious and effective disciplines on fisheries subsidies.

This should include prohibitions on subsidies to fishing that is on overfished fish stocks or that is illegal, unreported and unregulated.

A number of countries have joined in the statement, including Australia, Argentina, Canada, Mexico, Pakistan, the United States and Senegal.

'We are inviting other WTO Members to join us in these efforts,” says Todd.

'This is an issue that requires urgent action.”

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