Fisheries make a key contribution to global food security and the ocean economy. Well-designed subsidies and other government support can help ensure the health of fish stocks and ecosystems, increase fish stock productivity, and build resilience in the fisheries sector. However, poorly designed subsidies can encourage unsustainable fishing. In 2022 the WTO reached a ground-breaking agreement to reduce harmful fishery subsidies that can lead to a depletion of fish stock. To implement the agreement, it is crucial to develop a common understanding how to identify harmful subsidies that ought to be reduced or re-designed and how to effectively target support to vessels and operators that operate sustainably. The OECD produces recognized data measuring fisheries support and analyses their sustainability impact, as a basis to develop policy guidelines that aim to support governments in concretely moving away from harmful support to achieve their socio-economic goals. The panel discussed how countries can interact with relevant international institutions, such as the WTO and the OECD and leverage global initiatives such as the UN Ocean Conference and the WTO Fisheries Subsidies Agreement to work towards sustainable oceans and productive fisheries.
Presentation:
Marion Jansen, OECD
Discussion:
Angela Ellard, Deputy Secretary General, WTO
Gina Guillén-Grillo, Special Presidential Envoy for the Ocean, Costa Rica
Kestudis Sadauskas, Deputy Director-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, European Commission
Moderated by: Nicola Brandt, OECD
Recording of the webinar:
Presentation by Marion Jansen:
Further information: