Every year, governments around the world pour up to $35 billion into the fishing industry. Those subsidies are meant to support fisherman and ensure a steady supply of fish for people to eat. But a lot of that money ends up doing more harm than good – by encouraging overfishing, damaging ecosystems, and increasing unemployment, among other negative effects.
But a large and growing coalition has come together to put a stop to harmful fishing subsidies. So far, 91 countries, four intergovernmental organizations, and 15 civil society groups have declared their support for a global roadmap to eliminate the damaging subsidies by 2020. With nearly one third of the world’s fish stocks under severe stress, there is no time to lose.
“Decisive action to end harmful subsidies and curb overfishing as soon as possible will benefit everybody, including fishermen themselves,” said Erik Solheim, Executive Director of UN Environment, one of three UN bodies – alongside the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) – that helped to draft the roadmap.
Solheim was one of several high-level speakers at an event on fisheries subsidies held on the sidelines of the UN Ocean Conference in New York this week. The event also brought together Peter Thomson, the President of the UN General Assembly; Mukhisa Kituyi, the Secretary-General of UNCTAD; and Patricia Scotland, the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth of Nations, among other notable participants.
All speakers emphasized that UN Sustainable Development Goal 14.6, which calls for an end to harmful fisheries subsidies by 2020, has galvanized action for reform. They also stressed the need for delegates at the World Trade Organization (WTO) to negotiate new rules that prohibit subsidies that contribute to overfishing, while accommodating the needs of Least Developed Countries and Small Island States. A binding global agreement on fisheries subsidies is a possible outcome of the WTO’s next ministerial conference, which will take place in Argentina in December.
“We have a big job to do. Let us get it done in Buenos Aires,” Solheim said, referring to the upcoming meeting.
Cutting fisheries subsidies would take the pressure off global fish stocks, giving them the chance to bounce back to healthier levels. According to the World Bank, such a move would boost the industry’s annual profits from $3 billion to $86 billon, while helping fisheries adapt to climate change and meet the growing demand for seafood.
Fish – a critical source of protein for more than 3 billion people – are among the world’s most heavily traded foods. The fishing industry employs 56.6 million people, more than 90 per cent of whom live in Africa or Asia.
Materials from the New York event can be found here. Additional information on the UN Ocean Conference can be found here.
To learn more about UN Environment’s Environment and Trade Hub, please click here.
