India Reaffirms Stance on Fisheries Subsidies at WTO Abu Dhabi Ministerial Conference

Abu Dhabi: The World Trade Organization’s (WTO) negotiation session on Fisheries Subsidies during the ongoing Abu Dhabi Ministerial Conference-13 witnessed India restating its principled positions on responsible and sustainable fisheries practices. India emphasized that its vast and diverse fishing community has always prioritized responsible fishing, and any comprehensive agreement on fisheries subsidies must consider the welfare of these communities.

India highlighted the dual nature of fisheries subsidies, acknowledging their role in both over-exploitation and the development of fisheries sectors, particularly in developing countries. It stressed that such agreements should be rooted in the principles of Common But Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities (CBDR-RC), with provisions for Special and Differential Treatment (S&DT), aligning with the principles upheld in all WTO agreements.

In a bid to enhance the effectiveness of sustainability objectives, India urged the inclusion of non-specific fuel subsidies and the transfer of fishing rights to corporate fishing under Government-to-Government (G2G) payments within the scope of disciplines. The nation also called for disciplining subsidies by Distant Water Fishing Nations and suggested the introduction of a 25-year moratorium on such subsidies.

India drew attention to the flaws in the current approaches for addressing Over Capacity and Over Fishing (OCOF) and emphasized the need for an affirmative determination approach for negotiating disciplines on the OCOF Pillar. It underscored that the annual aggregate value of subsidies overlooks critical factors such as the intensity of subsidies, the size of Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs), the long coastal line, and per capita subsidies for fishermen.

Furthermore, India stressed the importance of recognizing and protecting the sovereign rights of Members for sustainable fisheries management within their EEZs as provided under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

As the negotiations progress, India remains committed to advocating for a balanced and inclusive approach that safeguards the interests of its fishing communities while contributing to the global goal of sustainable fisheries management.