WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies – Geneva Package (2022)

• The WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies was adopted during the 12th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC12) held in Geneva, Switzerland in June 2022.
• It is the first WTO agreement focused on environmental sustainability and marine resource conservation.
• It aims to curb harmful subsidies that contribute to illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, overfishing, and depletion of global fish stocks.

Objectives

• Eliminate subsidies contributing to IUU fishing.
• Ban subsidies leading to overfished stocks.
• Discourage subsidies for unregulated high seas fishing.
• Promote sustainable fishing practices worldwide.

Key Provisions

Special and Differential Treatment (S&DT)

• Transition Period: Developing countries and Least Developed Countries (LDCs) get a 2-year transition period from the agreement’s entry into force.
• Concerns Remain: Many developing nations argue that their small-scale fishermen need support for livelihood and food security.

India’s Position and Strategic Demands

• India, with a large population dependent on coastal fisheries, has raised strong concerns about the fairness and developmental balance of the agreement.

Relevance for India and Developing Countries

• India’s fishery sector is primarily small-scale, livelihood-driven and crucial for coastal employment.
• A blanket ban on subsidies without differentiation could harm domestic fishers while benefiting rich nations with historically over-capacitated fleets.
• India advocates for equity, sustainability, and development needs to be balanced within WTO frameworks.

Way Forward for India

• Strengthen domestic fisheries governance, monitoring, and sustainability practices.
• Push for differentiated commitments in global trade.
• Work with other developing nations (like African and ASEAN countries) to form a coalition for fair fisheries trade.
• Balance subsidy rationalization with livelihood protection under India’s Blue Economy vision.