Fishermen cry foul over proposed WTO sops
The proposed WTO provisions on fisheries’ subsidy would seriously affect the livelihood and well-being of traditional fishermen in the country with small-scale operations.
By TNN |
KOCHI: The proposed WTO provisions on fisheries’ subsidy would seriously affect the livelihood and well-being of traditional fishermen in the country with small-scale operations. At a meeting held recently at Chennai, the stakeholders of the sector urged the department of commerce to protect the interest of the country’s fishermen in the WTO negotiations by pinpointing specific legal clauses.
Representatives of the commerce ministry, agriculture ministry, Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA), Seafood Exporters Association of India (SEAI), representatives of the fisheries department of states and UTs like Andhra Pradesh, Andaman & Nicobar, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Orissa, Pondicherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, and fishermen who met here to discuss the issue pointed out that the new provisions should not be applicable to small fishermen.
There is an emerging view that some subsidies have an adverse effect on resource sustainability in fisheries sector. Some of the developed countries have therefore proposed a ban on fisheries subsidy with limited exceptions for developing countries. India has resisted these proposals, pointing out that environmental concerns have to be addressed through multilateral environmental agreements and that WTO should address only trade and trade-related issues.
It was pointed out at the stakeholders’ meeting that the fisheries management regimes prescribed by the WTO are taxing and difficult to implement. The final result of the implementation of these provisions would be that a third party such as FAO would do the fisheries management.
At the meeting, the participants pointed out that since India’s EEZ was under-exploited, WTO provisions, if implemented, would lead to less assistance for infrastructure development and for the betterment of the facilities for small-scale fishermen.
Representatives of the commerce ministry, agriculture ministry, Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA), Seafood Exporters Association of India (SEAI), representatives of the fisheries department of states and UTs like Andhra Pradesh, Andaman & Nicobar, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Orissa, Pondicherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, and fishermen who met here to discuss the issue pointed out that the new provisions should not be applicable to small fishermen.
There is an emerging view that some subsidies have an adverse effect on resource sustainability in fisheries sector. Some of the developed countries have therefore proposed a ban on fisheries subsidy with limited exceptions for developing countries. India has resisted these proposals, pointing out that environmental concerns have to be addressed through multilateral environmental agreements and that WTO should address only trade and trade-related issues.
It was pointed out at the stakeholders’ meeting that the fisheries management regimes prescribed by the WTO are taxing and difficult to implement. The final result of the implementation of these provisions would be that a third party such as FAO would do the fisheries management.
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This would hinder the government from implementing schemes that would support fishermen. This is because any new subsidy scheme would be permitted only if prior stock assessment has been undertaken and reviewed by the FAO.At the meeting, the participants pointed out that since India’s EEZ was under-exploited, WTO provisions, if implemented, would lead to less assistance for infrastructure development and for the betterment of the facilities for small-scale fishermen.
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