U.S., Others Look to Ban Fishery Subsidies

The United States and 12 other countries pledged on Wednesday to start World Trade Organization negotiations to ban fishery subsidies, particularly those that contribute to overfishing and overcapacity or are linked to illegal fishing.

The countries said in a joint statement issued on the eve of the Our Ocean Conference – convening September 15 and 16 at the Department of State in Washington, DC, that 31 percent of the world's fisheries were operating at biologically unsustainable levels, with 58 percent at maximum levels with no room to grow.

"Fisheries subsidies, estimated to be in the tens of billions of dollars annually, create significant distortions in global fish markets and are a major factor contributing to overfishing and overcapacity and the depletion of fisheries resources," the group said in the statement.

Besides the United States, the coalition includes Argentina, Australia, Canada, Chile, Colombia, New Zealand, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Singapore, Switzerland and Uruguay.

The WTO negotiations also will aim to strengthen the reporting and transparency of fishery subsidies.

U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman said the coalition was trying to ensure the long-term sustainability of global fisheries. The fate of the world’s fisheries have enormous implications for the future of the global economy, and in the daily lives of people around the world, said Froman in a statement. More than 50 million people work in the global fishing and aquaculture sectors, many in small-scale fisheries that are critical to the economies of their communities. Over three billion people, many of whom live in the poorest and least-developed countries, rely on food from the ocean as a significant source of protein, highlighting the role of global fisheries in food security worldwide.

"We must take action now to protect global fisheries for future generations. The health of our oceans and their fisheries are essential to global food security, environmental sustainability, as well as the future prosperity of America's fishermen and women," said Froman.

American fishing industries support 1.4 million jobs, generate $42 billion in income, and contribute $64 billion annually to our economy. In 2014, American fishing industries exported 3.4 billion pounds of edible fish products valued at $5.8 billion to markets around the world.

A European Union study in 2013 estimated that global fisheries subsidies totaled around $35 billion in 2009 dollars, with the E.U. as the top provider with more than $5.5 billion, followed by Japan, China and the United States, each with more than $4 billion. Russia provided about $2.3 billion, while Micronesia provided about $2 billion in fishery subsidies.

The bulk of the subsidies went to boost fishing capacity, including subsidies for fuel, vessel acquisition and refurbishment and fishing port construction and improvements, according to the study.

Froman told a news conference that the "support group" of like-minded countries would work to assess which subsidies were "the most serious" and should be addressed first in the WTO, with the expectation that other countries would later join the effort.

Representatives of Japan, China and E.U. countries were not present at the news conference announcing the effort.

The Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, which has not been approved by the U.S. Congress and may not see a vote before President Barack Obama leaves office in January, includes a ban on fishery subsidies among its 12 member countries that target overfished stocks.