Scaling fisheries: India’s campaign for fairness under WTO regulations pertaining to fisheries subsidies

In order to prevent overfishing and preserve marine biodiversity, India has been arguing for stricter World Trade Organization (WTO) regulations to control subsidies for high seas fishing. India, a significant fishing country, has expressed worries about the environmental effects of unregulated subsidies that support unsustainable fishing methods, especially in regions outside of its borders

India wants stronger laws against subsidies that encourage overfishing, especially in areas where fish populations are already in danger. In order to keep the world’s fishery resources from collapsing, it emphasizes how urgent it is to preserve marine ecosystems and promote sustainable fishing methods.

India has advocated for regulations that strike a balance between protecting marine resources and the fishing-dependent economies of poor nations. In order to prevent having a disproportionately negative effect on the fishing sectors of less developed countries, it promotes flexibility in subsidy regulations.

With increased worries over practices that result in overfishing and illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, the WTO has been negotiating a comprehensive agreement on fisheries subsidies. India’s stance supports international initiatives to eradicate detrimental subsidies and promote collaboration in order to fairly address overfishing.

Since fisheries subsidies frequently encourage fleets to fish in unsustainable ways, contributing to the depletion of marine resources, the topic has been a major topic of contention at the WTO. The necessity of tackling this issue through multilateral institutions like the WTO, which may aid in reducing detrimental subsidies and promoting more sustainable fishing methods globally, has come to light more and more in recent years. India’s stance highlights its desire to preserve marine biodiversity while also making sure that new regulations don’t negatively impact small-scale and developing-country fisheries’ ability to make a living. This position aligns with its more comprehensive strategy for international trade and environmental sustainability.

An Indian paper submitted to the WTO highlights the glaring difference, pointing out that it only offers a meager $35 per fisher annually, whereas certain European governments provide subsidies as high as $76,000 per fisher annually. India requested stringent rules for high seas fishing subsidies during WTO talks, adding that previous subsidisers should get the Committee on Fisheries Subsidies’ approval before providing further subsidies. These statements were made by India during the current Geneva meetings of the Negotiating Group on Rules (Fisheries subsidies). It has emphasized the necessity for a 25-year embargo on subsidies at current levels and argued for strict sanctions on historical fisheries subsidisers who fish in remote waters. Countries like Indonesia have supported these demands.

The General Council, which meets periodically every two years to carry out WTO functions, is the highest-level decision-making body of the WTO in Geneva. It has the power to act on behalf of the Ministerial Conference (MC) and is composed of representatives from each of the member nations, typically ambassadors or trade ministers. In its document, Designing Disciplines For the Overcapacity and Overfishing Pillar – A Case for Intensity-based Subsidies Approach, which was discussed at the WTO General Council meeting in Geneva on December 16–17, India also called for the adoption of a “per capita distribution of subsidies” criteria to address concerns about overfishing and capacity under the WTO framework.

In order to conserve marine resources, India also supports ongoing participation in multilateral environmental agreements like the United Nations Fish Stocks Agreement (UNFSA) and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), where more coordinated international action is required. India’s position reflects its difficult balancing act between the demands of developing countries, economic justice, and environmental sustainability. India is expected to continue to speak out in favor of stricter, more inclusive regulations that promote sustainable fisheries management and give poor nations the means to sustain their fishing businesses in a just and equitable manner as the talks go on. Since it will influence the course of international fisheries policy for years to come, India’s leadership in this field is essential.

In order to prevent overfishing and preserve