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A proposal in the making

New developments in WTO fisheries subsidies negotiations

Posted by Andrew Sharpless (Guest Contributor) at 3:29 PM on 10 Oct 2007

Read more about: oceans | fishing | politics | international politics
Tools: print | email | + digg | + del.icio.us | + reddit | + stumbleupon

Some new ideas by Brazil and Argentina during the Doha round negotiations at the World Trade Organization have left me feeling rather optimistic about the ability of the WTO to actually help address one of the world's biggest environmental problems: global overfishing.

Their proposal is a real attempt by developing countries in the ongoing negotiations about fisheries subsidies to establish some rules to prevent countries from subsidizing their fishing sector without regard to the fish!

The proposal still needs work. But finally, leadership by the developing world to try a find a workable approach to ensure that development keeps the best interest of marine life and habitat in mind while also tending to the needs of people.

Aquaculture

According to my reading, fish farming (aquaculture) is not included in this round of talks - that would be included in the discussion of farm subsidies.  Fish farming is not highly subsidized in the US but the main export crops (corn, soy, wheat, cotton maize) are.

As to the US fisheries, I don't think there is much left of the industry.  Maine lobsters and Alaska pollock (pacific cod maybe) are about all that's left for sustainable fisheries, and those aren't subsidized in the least.  It's rather sad, really.  It's getting hard to find even an honest bluecrab anymore.

Onward through the fog

by Sam Wells at 12:01 PM on 11 Oct 2007

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