Lok Sabha Question No. 651 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-07-20
Subject: Fisheries Subsidy Negotiations at WTO
Ministry: COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
Asked by: Vinayak Bhaurao Raut, Balashowry Vallabbhaneni

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY (DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE)

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 651 TO BE ANSWERED ON 20 th  JULY, 2022

## FISHERIES SUBSIDY NEGOTIATIONS AT WTO

## 651.   SHRI VINAYAK RAUT: SHRI BALASHOWRY VALLABHANENI:

Will the Minister of COMMERCE & INDUSTRY ( वाणिज्य एवं उद्योग मंत्री ) be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of final text that has come up for fisheries subsidy negotiations at the WTO;
- (b) whether the proposed text provides level-playing field for Indian fisheries sector, our traditional fishermen and their livelihood;
- (c) if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) the details of support measures that developed countries provide to their fishing sector and reasons behind their demand to stop developing countries from giving subsidies?

## ANSWER

okf.kT; ,oa m|ksx ea=ky; esa jkT; ea=h ¼Jherh vuqfiz;k iVsy½

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY (SMT. ANUPRIYA PATEL)

- (a) :  The  Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies (Agreement) agreed at the recently concluded World  Trade  Organization  (WTO)  Ministerial  meeting  will  prohibit  subsidies  being provided for Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing and overfished stocks. As Special and Differential Treatment (S&DT), Developing Countries and Least Developed Countries (LDCs) have been allowed a transition period of two years after the entry in to force of the Agreement.  The Agreement also prohibits providing subsidies for fishing in high seas, which are outside the jurisdiction of coastal countries and Regional Fisheries Management Organizations/ Arrangements (RFMO/As).

As per the Agreement, no prohibition has been imposed on a WTO Member regarding granting or maintaining subsidy to its vessel or operator as long as it is not carrying out IUU.  Similarly,  no  prohibition  on  providing  subsidies  has  been  imposed  for  fishing regarding overfished stocks as long as such subsidies are implemented to rebuild the stock to a biologically sustainable level.

- (b) &(c):   Under the Agreement, enough flexibility is available to India with a complete right to determine within its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) regarding any IUU fishing activity and on overfished stocks. Since fish move across maritime zones, IUU fishing deprives India  of  fisheries  resources,  thereby  greatly  impacting  the  livelihood  of  our  coastal traditional fishing communities that depend upon fisheries. With the implementation of Agreement, India will be in a position to take action against subsidies provided to foreign vessels  or  operators  of  other  countries  by  challenging  such  subsidies  at  the  WTO Committee  on  Fisheries  Subsidies  and  the  dispute  settlement  system  of  the  WTO. Similarly, if any country provides subsidies for catching fish in an overfished stock, India will be able to challenge such subsidies at the WTO.
- (d):  As per notifications by WTO Members, the subsidy provided by developed countries to their fishing sector consists of: programmes for support to acquisition of fishing vessels, vessel  de-commissioning  programmes,  research  and  development,  improving  fishing practices,  purchase  of  innovative  gear  technologies,  and  support  for  establishment  of environmentally and economically sustainable fisheries.

The Agreement is to discipline the subsidies on IUU and Overfished stocks rather than stop the subsidies.

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