You’re Not Off the Hook, WTO!: Why fisheries subsidies rules matter more than ever

At the last WTO Ministerial, WTO Members agreed on a ground-breaking new multilateral agreement that disciplines fisheries subsidies where they can be most damaging. The rules prohibit subsidies provided to illegal fishing, to the fishing of overfished stocks, and to unregulated fishing on the high seas. But several difficult issues were not agreed, particularly how to deal with subsidies that contribute to the generation of excessive fishing capacity in the first place and incentivize overfishing before stocks are depleted. These rules were left for later, and that later is now. Members are aiming to finalize negotiations on additional rules at this Ministerial. Join representatives of the Stop Funding Overfishing coalition to learn why these new rules matter, and how close Members are to reaching another historic agreement for the oceans.