India has voiced its concerns over the current approaches for addressing overfishing during the ongoing World Trade Organization (WTO) negotiation session on fisheries subsidies in Abu Dhabi. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry stated that India highlighted the harmful effects of subsidies for large-scale fishing on sustainable fishing and marine resource management. India argued that the current approaches for addressing Over Capacity and Over Fishing (OCOF) are deeply flawed.
India called on WTO members to introduce a 25-year moratorium on subsidies by Distant Water Fishing Nations for fishing activities beyond their exclusive economic zones (EEZs). The country emphasized that any comprehensive agreement on fisheries subsidies should consider the interests and welfare of the fishing community, which relies on marine resources for their livelihood.
India acknowledged the importance of subsidies for developing countries and small economies to diversify and protect the food and livelihood security of their fishermen. The ministry emphasized that any agreement on fisheries subsidies should be based on the principles of Common But Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities (CBDR-RC) and incorporate the provisions of Special and Differential Treatment (S&DT).
India also stressed the recognition and protection of members’ sovereign rights for sustainable fisheries management within their EEZs, as provided under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The ministry called for the inclusion of non-specific fuel subsidies and transfer of fishing rights to corporate fishing under Government to Government (G2G) payments within the agreement’s disciplines.
India highlighted the need to consider the intensity of subsidies, factors such as the size of the EEZ, long coastal lines, population of small fishers, and per capita subsidies to fishermen. The ministry urged the use of the affirmative determination approach for negotiating disciplines on the Over Capacity and Over Fishing (OCOF) pillar, similar to the approach used for the overfished pillar.
The ongoing WTO negotiations aim to address the issue of overfishing and develop a comprehensive agreement on fisheries subsidies that promotes sustainable fishing practices.
