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A fisheries subsidy is a government action that confers an advantage on consumers or extractors of fish in order to supplement their income or lower their cost. Fisheries subsidy are addressed in sustainable development goal 14 where target 14.6 works on prohibiting subsidies contributing to overcapacity and over fishing, unreported and unregulated fishing and refrain from new such subsidies.WEB, 2019: The Year to End Harmful Fisheries Subsidies,sdg.iisd.org/commentary/guest-articles/2019-the-year-to-end-harmful-fisheries-subsidies/,

Extent

The estimates on the global amounts of fisheries subsidies vary and range from US$15–35 billion annually.UNEP – United Nations Environmental Programme (2008) Fisheries Subsidies: A Critical Issue for Trade and Sustainable Development at the WTO: An Introductory Guide. UNEP, Geneva. The range of estimates is partially due to fact that fisheries subsidies come in many shapes and forms. Fisheries subsidies include direct transfers of funds, income or price support measures, tax credits, exemptions and rebates, low-interest loans and guarantees, preferential treatment and use of regulatory support mechanisms. Not all estimates include government funding for fisheries management, such data collection and control and enforcement, or the possible absence of access fees.An open letter by {{tooltip|2=296|almost 300}} scientists found that as of 2021 harmful fisheries subsidies have increased globally and asks the WTO to eliminate such subsidies.NEWS, Scientists join international push to ban harmful fisheries subsidies,phys.org/news/2021-10-scientists-international-fisheries-subsidies.html, 15 November 2021, University of Western Australia, en, JOURNAL, Sumaila, U. Rashid, et al., WTO must ban harmful fisheries subsidies, Science, 29 October 2021, 374, 6567, 544, 10.1126/science.abm1680, 34709891, 240153044,centaur.reading.ac.uk/104895/1/Science_WTO%20must%20ban%20harmful%20fisheries%20subsidies.pdf, It did so in 2022, ordering countries to end subsidies for illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing; fishing in international waters; or fishing of overfished stocks.WEB, McVeigh, Karen, First WTO deal on fishing subsidies hailed as historic despite ‘big holes’,www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/jun/21/first-wto-deal-on-fishing-subsidies-hailed-as-historic-despite-big-holes, The Guardian, 21 June 2022,

Impacts

{{see|Environmental impact of fishing}}It is acknowledged that some forms of fisheries subsidies can threaten the sustainability of fisheries resources by encouraging overfishing/overcapacity and excess fishing effort. Therefore, reducing the long-term viability of the fishing industries which are estimated to generate US$ 50 billion less per year than they could as a result of subsidies,WEB, Goal 14 targets,www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/sustainable-development-goals/goal-14-life-below-water/targets.html, 2020-09-24, UNDP, en, 2020-09-30,web.archive.org/web/20200930060036/https://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/sustainable-development-goals/goal-14-life-below-water/targets.html, dead, while others are considered beneficial, promoting conservations and sustainable fisheries management.Adam, David. “Majority of global fishing subsidies ‘harmful’, report finds.” chinadialogueocean.net/11585-majority-of-global-fishing-subsidies-harmful-report-finds/#:~:text=In%20the%20most%20up%2Dto,went%20towards%20increasing%20catch%20capacity. Retrieved 21 September 2020. States committed at the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) to eliminate subsidies that contribute to illegal, unregulated, and unreported (IUU) fishing and overcapacity.Johannesburg Plan of Implementation, paragraph 31(f). Also, parties to the World Trade Organization agreed to strengthen disciplines on fisheries subsidies, including through a prohibition of certain forms of fisheries subsidies that contribute to overcapacity and overfishing.WTO (2005) Hong Kong Ministerial Declaration, Annex D paragraph 9.

Society and culture

Global goals

The United Nations’ framework for Sustainable Development Goals includes targets to end subsidies that contribute to overfishing within Goal 14, Life Below Water.United Nations (2017) Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 6 July 2017, (:File:A RES 71 313 E.pdf|Work of the Statistical Commission pertaining to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development) (A/RES/71/313)

See also

• Fishing subsidies in the United States
• Overfishing
• Common Fisheries Policy

References

{{reflist}}

Further reading

• OECD (2006) Financial Support to Fisheries - Implications for Sustainable Development, Paris.
• Smart Investments – Promoting Sustainable Fishing Initiatives under the European Fisheries Fund, by Markus Knigge. Published in 2007 by the WWF – European Policy Office
• Sumaila, U.R., V. Lam, F. Le Manach, W. Swartz and D. Pauly (2016). Global fisheries subsidies: an updated estimate. Marine Policy, 69, 189-193.

External links

• FAO: What is a fishery subsidy?
• fishsubsidy.org/" title="web.archive.org/web/20120125230601fishsubsidy.org/">Fishsubsidy.org - Who gets what from the EU common fisheries policy