One pertinent question to ask is who and what is responsible for overfishing, overcapacity, by-catches and illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing? Recent reports shows how 10 countries — China, Japan, South Korea, Russia, the U.S.A., Thailand, Taiwan, Spain, Indonesia and Norway — spent over $15.3 billion on harmful fishing subsidies in 2018. This has had a negative rebounding effect including social, economic and ecological impacts.
Furthermore, the report analyzed the expenditure of these harmful fishing subsidies used by these 10 nations – 60% ($9.2 billion) for domestic fishing, 35% ($5.4 billion) for traveling long distances to fish in the waters of 116 other nations and 5% ($800 million) for fishing in the high seas, which are parts of the ocean beyond any nation’s jurisdiction.
Members of FishNet Alliance in Africa are strongly opposed to these subsidies and unregulated resultant incentivizing of unregulated fishing in African waters. According to the Alliance, massive plundering of fisheries on the continent’s continental waters have severely impacted the economy of artisanal fishers in the region as well as affecting the nutrition of the peoples.
As World Trade ministers meet to negotiate the fisheries subsidies, it is instructive to note that the negotiating group rules contained in the revised draft consolidated Chair text, are set to chase the already vulnerable small scale/artisanal fishers (who are victims of the operations of industrial fishers) in developing and least developed countries, out of business when the proposed 2 years exemption for subsidies elapses. Also, the setting of 12 nautical miles from baseline as the limit of exemption for developing and least developed countries of low income, resource-poor and livelihood fishing or fishing related activities, is unacceptable.
The articles in the negotiating group rules seem to be well crafted in a sinister and conspiratorial fashion to allow for business as usual for industrial fishers as long as they can prove that there are some sets of imaginary, unproven and untested systems in place to maintain fish stock(s) at a biologically sustainable level – a permanent loophole for aggressive and mindless fishing regime to the detriment of communities of artisanal fishers.
There is need for the World Trade Organization (WTO) to transparently and aggressively negotiate on the basis of the root causes and drivers of overfishing and other related issues and go after corporate and vested interests doling out billions of dollars as subsidies for dangerous fishing expeditions, especially harmful fishing practices within and outside their national jurisdiction.
FishNet Alliance also demands that there should be synergy between WTO and other relevant international instruments to check these offshore trades that seek only to commodify water bodies at the detriment of the rich and diverse aquatic ecosystems.
Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 14.6 prohibits certain forms of fisheries subsidies which contribute to overcapacity and overfishing, and eliminates subsidies that contribute to illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. FishNet Alliance aligns with the intent of SDG 14.6 to have nations refrain from introducing new such subsidies, recognizing that appropriate and effective special and differential treatment for developing and least developed countries should be an integral part of the WTO fisheries subsidies negotiation.
The WTO should garner supports and incentives for small scale/artisanal fishers in developing and least developed countries and encourage their local community-driven conservation efforts.
“The majority of our peoples depend on fishes for animal protein and for livelihoods. The WTO should do the needful and keep the exploitative sharks at bay,” said Stephen Oduware, coordinator of the FishNet Alliance.
The FishNet Alliance is an Africa-wide network of fishers engaged in and promoting sustainable fishing practices in line with ecosystem limits. The Alliance stands to oppose extractive activities in water bodies – including rivers, lakes and oceans.
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