Description
As
the fisheries subsidies negotiations enter into a more technical phase,
it has become clear that a number of issues continue to lack clear analysis
and options. Among them, many developing countries continue to raise
questions on how to ensure that their interests are adequately reflected
in the final outcome. How should access fees be covered by the subsidies
disciplines? Should artisanal fisheries be excluded from the scope?
At the same time, the need to balance legitimate developmental concerns
with sustainability objectives has been highlighted to ensure that special
& differential treatment provisions do not undermine the disciplines’
broader goals. Regional fisheries management bodies in particular have
been mentioned as a possible safeguard for environmental sustainability,
although the detailed practicalities remain to be explored.
The
dialogue aimed to provide further clarity on these and other related
questions in an effort to move the debate forward in the lead-up to
the Hong Kong Ministerial meeting and beyond, and help to ensure that
the final outcome indeed delivers on sustainable development objectives.
