WTO deal to end harmful fisheries subsidies is now 100 days overdue, NGOs report
Stop Funding Overfishing campaign pushes for world leaders to reach an agreement to end harmful fisheries subsidies as soon as possible
April 12, 2021—As of April 12, delivery of a World Trade Organization (WTO) agreement to tackle harmful fisheries subsidies is more than 100 days past the 2020 deadline set out in Target 6 of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 14. The Stop Funding Overfishing campaign, supported by environmental non-governmental organizations (NGOs) worldwide, will use social media action to bring attention to this day and remind the 164 members of the WTO of their responsibility to urgently finalize an agreement to end the subsidies that drive overfishing.
In March, the WTO’s Negotiating Group on Rules held a cluster of meetings focused on provisions on subsidies that contribute to overfishing and overcapacity, the scope of new fisheries subsidies disciplines, and enhancing the transparency of fisheries subsidy programmes. Ambassador Santiago Wills of Colombia, chair of the negotiations, reported that the March meetings resulted in “limited” progress.
The next cluster of fisheries subsidies meetings will convene during the week of 12 April.
Published April 12, 2021
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