Inappropriate subsidies contribute to widespread overfishing and to the distortion of trade in fisheries products. Current negotiations in the WTO aim to address this problem through binding new subsidies rules, but some fisheries subsidies will undoubtedly continue to be used for years to come.
Jointly commissioned by WWF and UNEP, this paper — Sustainability criteria for fisheries subsidies: Options for the WTO and beyond — provides an analysis of the fisheries conditions and management practices that could guide both WTO negotiators and domestic policymakers in designing criteria for the use of subsidies.
By examining issues related to the health of the fish stocks, the capacity of fishing fleets and the inadequacy of fisheries management regimes, the paper proposes a series of basic tests against which the risks of fisheries subsidies can be considerably reduced.
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