G/SCM/Q2/IND/48  
 
25 April 2018 
(18-2595) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures  
 Original: English  
 
SUBSIDIES  
REPLY TO THE QUESTION1 FROM NEW ZEALAND REG ARDING THE  
NEW AND FULL NOTIFIC ATION OF INDIA2 
The following communication, dated 24 April 2018, is being circulated at the request of the 
delegation of India. 
 
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Question  
 
New Zealand welcomes India's continued transparency and detail in the notification of its central 
and sub -central fisheries subsidy programmes, which is important given India's status as the 
fourth largest capture fisheries producing Member (FAO, 2016).  
 
It has been r eported in the past that much of the rural economy in India, including coastal areas 
dominated by marine fishing, is lagging behind the rest of the economy.3 The fisheries sector is 
characterised by declining fish catches, depleted fish stocks, increasing conflict over fish resources, 
and mounting investment needs, particularly in the inshore sector. These factors are reported to 
trap the poor inshore fishers and processors into a cycle of perpetual low profits and debt, and 
some government welfare schemes such as fuel, boat and gear subsidies, may be encouraging 
participants to remain in a sub -sector that is already highly overcapitalised, particularly for inshore 
fishers.  
 
India's latest notification contains many of the same programmes included in its pre vious 
notification. Can India explain what reforms it has underway to turn the fisheries sector into a 
sustainable and economic one, and reduce the reliance of the sector on government support?  
 
Reply  
 
India considers that the issues raised by New Zealand are policy issues and it is within the rights of 
the members concerned as to how to moderate or reform its policy. Moreover the disciplines on 
fisheries subsidies are being negotiated and the kind of subsidies to be prohibited is a subject 
matter of discus sion under NGR.  
 
Secondly New Zealand has cited the World Bank report of 2010 which primarily refers to status of 
India’s fishing in its coastal waters and does not reflect the state of affair in the EEZ waters, which 
is within the sovereign rights of a co untry to carry out its fishing. India would like to reiterate that 
most of its fisheries activities are concentrated in the inshore waters. Through its various 
programmes, which it has duly notified to WTO, it is promoting the cause of allowing the artisan al 
and small scale fishermen to move to its EEZ waters which remain largely unexploited.  
 
                                                
1 G/SCM/Q2/IND/47 dated 25 September 2017.  
2 G/SCM/N/284/IND.  
3 For example, World Bank. 2010. India marine fisheries: issues, opportunities and transitions for 
sustainable development. Washington, DC: World Bank. 
http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/513221468040751464/India -marine -fisheries -issues -
opportunities -and-transitions -for-sustainable -development  G/SCM/Q2/IND/48  
 
- 2 - 
 
  India would also like to inform that it has revisited its Marine Fisheries Policy of 2004 and has 
released a new comprehensive "National Policy on Marine Fisheries, 2017" in April 2017, which is 
available in the Public domain. This policy document provides guidance on measures to be 
undertaken to ensure Marine fisheries in a sustainable manner.  
 
Moreover, on the specific elements of subsidies referred to in the questi on from New Zealand, it 
would be evident from India’s regular notification on fisheries subsidies to WTO, that the quantum 
of such subsidies is miniscule.  
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