At present, many fishery stocks are over-exploited, and approximately 40 per cent of the world fishery products are subject to international trade. Therefore, with respect to the trade of fishery products, a framework for negotiations is necessary, which can adequately reflect the importance of supplementing and reinforcing conservation measures, as well as sustainable management. It is appropriate to establish a negotiating group for fishery products independently from that for industrial products. Trade liberalization without proper resource management measures could lead to an increase of the international trade of fishery products, which are caught in a manner causing over-exploitation, neglecting the conditions of the resources concerned or not abiding by the rules for resource conservation and management. Some countries take their own trade measures for similar reasons.
Fishery products are a source of valuable animal protein and thus contribute to food security.
The depletion of fish stocks due to over-exploitation throughout the world is threatening their sustainable supply. For a stable supply of fishery products, while ensuring a balanced utilization of all trophic levels of the ecosystem without protecting specific species in an excessive manner, every nation should fulfill its obligation of managing resources in its waters and its fisheries, and should also ensure a stable supply of fish and fishery products to its nationals through its domestic supply as the basis. When establishing international trade rules, these points should be fully taken into account. In addition, the roles and functions of fisheries and fishing communities, including the maintenance of rural coastal communities, the management of coastal areas, the contribution to environmental preservation and the provision of recreation opportunities to nationals, should also be taken into account. International trade rules on fisheries should not encourage the fishing operations of FOC fleets, which do not bear resource conservation costs and should not lead to over-exploitation which neglects resource management.