ISARIBI OCTOBER 2003

ISSN1346-2512

NO.38

JapanFisheries
AssociationSankaido Bldg.,
9-13 Akasaka 1, Minato-ku,
Tokyo, Japan 107-0052
tel: 81-3-3585-6683
http//www.suisankai.or.jp

Views and Opinions of Japan’s Fisheries Industry

HIGHLIGHTS: WTO SPECIAL ISSUE

RISING VOICE FOR RESPONSIBLE
TRADE RULES BASED ON SUSTAINABLEFISHERIES--WTO IN CANCUN-The Cancun Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO) ended on 14 September
without reaching a consensus. Although the Meeting was deadlocked over agriculture issues, significant
progress was made on fishery issues toward responsible free trade rules, led by Japanese fishing industry
representatives of the National Federation of Fisheries Co-operative Associations (JF-Zengyoren) andthe Japan Fisheries Association (JFA). They have been struggling for years with the cooperation ofindustry representatives from Korea and Chinese Taipei to appeal the importance of responsible
international trade rules compatible with resource management in the global community. They found, inCancun, a substantial number of supporters of responsible trade rules through various activities describedbelow. JF-Zengyoren and the JFA are resolved to further cooperate with their new colleagues and workon the WTO to address concerns expressed during the Conference, including the issues of compatibility
with resource management and the sustainability of local communities, so that the WTO will develop newtrade rules that can be welcomed by the global community.

SYMPOSIUM
ON SUSTAINABLE FISHERIES TRADESUSTAINABLE

On September 10, an International
Symposium on Sustainable Fisheries
Tr a d e w a s h e l d , w i t h 4 1
representatives of fishery organizations from10 countries and entities attending. Thesymposium was closed with the adoptionof a statement (1) that the WTO rules
should contribute to ensuring appropriate
management and conservation andsustainable utilization as well as sustenanceof fishing activities; and (2) that the WTO
should fully take into account the actual
state of fisheries in developing its trade rules.
Following is the full text of the statement.
Representatives from fishery organizations at the symposisum

ISARIBI: First published by the Japan Fisheries Association in October 1992. JFA President: Isao Nakasu;
Senior Executive Managing Director: Kiyoshi Yoshizaki; Editor: Masashi NishimuraISARIBI NO. 38

OCTOBER 2003

fish products by the WTO which do not negate theeffectiveness of existing regional fisheries agreements
and the International Plans of Action of FAO
ISARIBI NO.38
ISARIBI
NO.38 and Unreported
regarding Illegal,
Unregulated
We, the participants in the International Symposium
fishing NO.38
capacity;
OCTOBERfisheries
2003 andISARIBIon Sustainable Fisheries Trade held in Cancun,
Mexico, on 10 September 2003;
OCTOBER 2003
Agree as follows:
Recognizing the important roles and functions offisheries and fishing communities in each country,
1. WTO rules on trade for fish and fish products shouldsuch as their contribution to sustainable food selfbe made to ensure the sustainable development ofsufficiency and the socio-economic development offisheries, the proper management and conservation
fishing communities, etc.;
of fishery resources, and the continued business
Fully aware of the importance of complying withviability of each country’s fisheries.
national, regional and international rules and2.
In drawing up trade rules, the WTO should fully
regulations pertaining to fisheries, including theconsider
the actual situation of each country so that
UNCLOS and the Code of Conduct for Responsible
itsfisheries
and fishing communities should not be
Fisheries; andunduly
threatenedby the promotion of global scale
Recognizing the importance to ensure thetradeliberalization.
establishment of international trade rules for fish andSTATEMENT ON SUSTAINABLE FISHERIESTRADEFishermen from 23 Countries Add V
oice
Voice
to Sustainable Fish ConsumptionPrior to the WTO meeting, the International
Co-operative Alliance (ICA) held its General
Assembly on September 3 and 4 in Oslo,
Norway. ICA is an independent, non-governmental
association which unites, represents and serves cooperatives worldwide. Founded in 1895, it now has
232 national members in 93 countries, plus fourinternational members. The International Cooperative
Fisheries Organization (ICFO), a specializedorganization of the ICA, has 27 member organizations
from 23 countries.
On September 5, ICFO adopted two resolutions:one on Trade Rules of Fish and Fish Products andthe other on Promotion of the Worldwide Fish
Consumption Movement. The latter resolution
deserves special attention in that it proposes thepromotion of the sustainable and sound use of fisheryresources while taking note of the characteristics offishery products as limited natural resources.
At the ICA General Assembly, Juan Somavia,
Director-General of the International Labour
Organization (ILO), was invited as a keynote speaker.
He said:“My perception is that people have hopes
for globalization. But they just don’t see its benefits
fairly distributed. They are worried about greeddominated, power-dominated economic decision
making. They want respect, voice and participation.
They want fairness and accountability. Above all, theywant opportunity - dignity through employment - quality
jobs where they are born, where they want to live,
and where they want to stay.”
Commenting on this speech, Mr. Shoji Uemura,
Chairman of ICFO, and also President of the JFZengyoren, said Mr. Somavia’s remark is fully in linewith the JF-Zengyoren’s efforts of attachingimportance to fisheries as regional industries.
What follows is the essence of ICFO’s resolutions.
Resolution on Trade Rulesof Fish and Fish products
1. From the standpoint of the necessity to ensuresustainable use of exhaustible natural resources,
we can not accept tariff elimination of fish andfish products
2. As regards tariff reduction formula, maximumpossible consideration should be given to “sensitiveproducts” in each country, with due consideration
paid to status of stocks and the state of actual
fisheries resource management, and that theformula should be made as flexible as possible sothat it can be acceptable to each country.
3. In clarifying and improving WTO disciplines on
fisheries subsidies, due consideration should begiven to the discussions by FAO and otherorganizations that have expertise on matters ofPage 2

ISARIBI NO.38

OCTOBER 2003

fisheries.
Resolution on Promotion ofWorldwide Fish Consumption Movement
We participants in the ICFO Plenary meeting held at
Radisson SAS Plaza Hotel, Oslo, Norway, on 5
September, 2003,
Recalling the Kyoto Declaration of the International
Conference on the Sustainable Contribution ofFisheries to Food Security held in Kyoto in December,
1995, the Rome Declaration of the Code of Conduct
for Responsible Fisheries of FAO in March, 1999, theDeclaration of the World Food Summit: Five Years
Later of FAO in June, 2002, and the Johannesburg
Declaration of the World Summit on Sustainable
Development in September, 2002,
Recognizing that sustainable contribution of fisheries
to food security is important under the current yearly
increasing trend of world population which is predicted
to exceed 7 billion in 2015 and 8 billion in 2030,
Noting that fishery resources are exhaustible natural
resources and the overfishing will lead to depletion of
the resources,
Also noting that fishery resources have features thatare different from manufactured industrial products
because if the resources are depleted, it becomes very
difficult to restore them,

Recognizing that overfishing will lead to pricecollapse of fish catch leading to collapse of fisheries
and fishing communities, andFurther recognizing that to deal with fish and fish
products only from the commercial viewpoint, that isbuying and selling, should be strictly refrained from,from the standpoints of the necessity of sustainable
development of fisheries and worldwide food security,Resolved as follows:
1. that each ICFO member will make its efforts topromote “fish consumption movement”, alongwith all out resource management efforts, within
the country. This movement shall be implemented
as much as possible under the “Consume The
Products Where They Are Produced” principle,
or known as “Local Production Local
Consumption” principle, in order to ensurebalanced development of fisheries and contributeto social roles of fisheries, that is, contribution offisheries to food security.
2. that each ICFO member makes its efforts to use
every possible opportunity to encourage fisheriesorganizations of non-ICFO member countries toengage in fish consumption promotion activities
as well.
For more information, please visit http://
www.ica.coop/ica/ica/index.html.

Fishing Communities of the W
orld OpposeWorld
the Eventual Elimination of Tariffs
Tariffs
in a Joint Declaration

On September 12 in Cancun during the WTO
Ministerial Conference, the representativesof the Japanese fishing industry held aconsultation with the members of the World Forumof Fish Harvesters and Fishworkers (WFF), aninternational non-governmental organization
composed of the national organizations of coastal
fishermen from 42 countries. This consultation wasmotivated by the participation of Mr. Humberto Mella
Ahumada, WFF President, in the International
Symposium on Sustainable Fisheries Trade on
September 10. Other participants in the consultation
included Mr. Francois Poulin, Secretary of theCanadian Council of Professional Fish Harvesters,and delegates from Portugal and Mexico. The WFF
reported that it adopted an emergency joint
declaration under the name of its 10 members whoPage 3

gathered in Cancun. In their exchange of views, allparties attending the consultation agreed that they
oppose the reduction and elimination of tariffs andthe abolition of fisheries subsidies with a view toprotect the livelihood of fishermen.
Given below is an excerpt from the WFF’s joint
declaration.
JOINT DECLARATIONCONCERNING
NEGOTIATIONS ON TRADE OF FISH
AND FISH PRODUCTS AT THE 5TH WTOMINISTERIAL CONFERENCE
The national fishermen organizations of the countriesof Latin America, North America and Europe,
members of the World Forum of Fish Harvesters andFishworkers declare:

ISARIBI NO.38

OCTOBER 2003

The fisheries constitute a heritage for humanity
and fishing communities. They represent a way oflife that manifests itself in its special relation with theresources of the sea.
The majority of fishers in the world are engaged insmall-scale fisheries and thus are in a weak position.
They are liable to suffer from sharp changes in trade,fluctuation of stocks and so forth. In due considerationof this fact, it is important that such negative impacts
are mitigated by tariff measures etc in each country,
or by support of subsidies for resource management
and infrastructure development and other appropriate
measures.
Fishing communities are able in each country toparticipate in food security for the world and they
are essential in the management, conservation andsustainable use of resources
In consequence:
They reject the intent of WTO to include the fisherysector in its regulations and they oppose the eventual
elimination of tariffs that are regulating international
trade in fish and fishery products and they point outthe danger that represents the complete liberalizationof the world trade in fish.
One must remember that FAO estimates thatapproximately 70 % of the world’s major fish stocks
have been either fully exploited to the maximum limit,
or over-exploited exceeding that level. However, thechair person of NAMA, ambassador Pierre Girard in
his proposed Draft Elements of Modalities for
Negotiations on Non-Agricultural Products included
fish and fish products in the sector wide tariffelimination groups, neglecting necessary consideration
to be given to the sustainable use of resources. We
are deeply concerned that such tariff elimination
measures may lead to over-use of resources forexport purposes. Accordingly, fish and fish products
should be removed from sector wide tariff eliminationgroups.
Subsidies in the fishery should be maintained as aform of support for the sustainable management of
the fisheries, mainly in the national coastal areas
where 90 % of the fishermen can be found.

Applications forthe 6th International Seafood Show
To Be Accepted from Oct.1

World fishermen’s Voice Is Not
Reflected in the Government Policy:
UemuraIn an interview after the return from Cancun’sWTO Ministerial Conference, President Shoji
Uemura of the JF-Zengyoren told reporters that
there was understanding among fishermen of theworld on the importance of sustaining fisheries andfishing communities as well as the serious threats now
facing fisheries which have taken root in various partsof the world.
Further, he recognized thecomplaints of fishermen
about fishery products being
discussed under thecategory of non-agricultural
products such as mineralproducts.
What is at issue is that thevoice of fishermen aroundthe world have not yet
President Uemura
become their governments’voice, Uemura said.
The Editor welcomes readers’ comments orviews on the articles in this issue atmnishimu@suisankai.or.jp
Page 4

Applications for the 6th Japan International
Seafood & Technology Expo, to be held at
the Tokyo International Exhibition Hall, July
21-23, 2004, will be accepted starting from
October 1, the Japan Fisheries
Association, the organizer of the event,announced recently.
The previous show attracted 2,600
visitors, a record number since this event
started five years ago. The JFA expects thenumber of display booths in the comingshow will increase to about 800 from about
600 in the previous year.
A similar Expo is scheduled in Osaka, amajor commercial center in western Japan,
for two days from February 26 at Intex
Osaka. The organizer foresees that theshow, the first to be held in western Japan,
will attract its targeted number ofapplications for 300 display booths before
the end of this year, reflecting a risinginterest in the event, stimulated by theorganizer’s slogan: “Western Japan has
its own food culture and seafood market.”Contact: Secretariat at http//www.kide.com/seafood/eindex.html