The World Trade Organization Fisheries Funding Mechanism

Background

At the Twelfth WTO Ministerial Conference (MC12) in June 2022, WTO members adopted the historic Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies, the first WTO agreement to focus on sustainability. The Agreement aims to curb harmful subsidies that contribute to overfishing and illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing while recognizing the special needs of developing and least developed countries (LDCs).

To support implementation of the Agreement, WTO members also established a new funding mechanism—commonly referred to as the Fish Fund—to provide targeted technical assistance and capacity building. The Fish Fund became operational in late 2022 and has since attracted over USD 16 million in voluntary contributions from various donor countries and organizations. 

This webinar was designed specifically for fisheries and trade officials from the SICA region, aiming to raise awareness of the Fish Fund and help eligible countries access the resources needed to effectively implement the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies.

About the Event

This interactive session introduced participants to the WTO Fisheries Funding Mechanism, outlining its goals, structure, and application process. It also promoted experience sharing on preparations for the Agreement’s implementation and offered practical guidance on how SICA member states can engage with the Fish Fund. The session included an overview of the key provisions of the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies, along with a practical self-assessment tool developed by IISD to help countries evaluate their current frameworks and identify needs for technical support.

Experts responded to guiding questions such as

• What is the purpose and scope of the WTO Fish Fund?
• How does the application process work for developing countries?
• What opportunities does the Fund create for SICA countries?

This event was co-organized by SICA-OSPESCA, AIDA, and IISD.

Panel

Moderator:

• Legal Expert, AIDA 

Speakers:

• José Infante, Regional Director, SICA/OSPESCA
• Florencia Sarmiento, Policy Advisor, IISD
• Jonathan Werner, WTO Fish Fund