Govt opposes curbs on fisheries subsidy at WTO
Govt has opposed the new multilateral rules on fishery suggested at the World Trade Organization (WTO) that could endanger the livelihood of lakhs of poor fishermen in the country.
By Amiti Sen, TNN |
NEW DELHI: Govt has opposed the new multilateral rules on fishery suggested at the World Trade Organization (WTO) that could endanger the livelihood of lakhs of poor fishermen in the country. In a recent submission made jointly with African, Caribbean & Pacific (ACP) group of countries to the negotiating group on rules, India has said that restrictions on the use of legitimate subsidies to the fishing sector can have a detrimental impact on the sustainable development of fisheries-dependent coastal and island communities in developing countries.
The group chairman���s draft text on modalities for rules falls short of meeting the balance between sustainability and development and does not give enough attention to development needs of developing countries, the submission said. Particularly, the special and differential treatment (S&DT) provisions do not address the need of developing countries to preserve policy space and pursue development goals.
According to Indian officials, the conditions attached to invoking the S&DT exemptions were too stringent, impracticable and would go against the development and management plans for the country���s marine fishing. India wants the new rules on fishing not be applicable on small and subsistence fishermen.
India���s submission emphasised that the fisheries sector especially artisanal and small-scale fishing is not only of economic importance to developing countries, but also a key factor in the drive to eradicate poverty.
The negotiations on fisheries subsidies going on at the WTO is an attempt to ensure that such aid do not have an adverse effect on environment by leading to over-fishing. Some countries, including New Zealand and Chile, are pushing for strict norms for checking subsidies as certain subsidies increased the capacity for fishing and depleted resources beyond sustainable levels.
These countries had proposed a broad prohibition on fisheries subsidies with limited exceptions for developing countries contingent on their complying with strict requirements of fisheries management systems.India and the ACP countries contended that the S&DT provisions in the text circulated by the chairman would not be enough to take care of the interests of the small and marginal fishermen in poor countries.
They said that inadequate S&DT provisions would spell doom for such fishermen in developing countries.
The negotiations on rules is part of the WTO Doha round which is working on multilateral agreements in various areas including agriculture, industrial goods and services.
The group chairman���s draft text on modalities for rules falls short of meeting the balance between sustainability and development and does not give enough attention to development needs of developing countries, the submission said. Particularly, the special and differential treatment (S&DT) provisions do not address the need of developing countries to preserve policy space and pursue development goals.
According to Indian officials, the conditions attached to invoking the S&DT exemptions were too stringent, impracticable and would go against the development and management plans for the country���s marine fishing. India wants the new rules on fishing not be applicable on small and subsistence fishermen.
India���s submission emphasised that the fisheries sector especially artisanal and small-scale fishing is not only of economic importance to developing countries, but also a key factor in the drive to eradicate poverty.
The negotiations on fisheries subsidies going on at the WTO is an attempt to ensure that such aid do not have an adverse effect on environment by leading to over-fishing. Some countries, including New Zealand and Chile, are pushing for strict norms for checking subsidies as certain subsidies increased the capacity for fishing and depleted resources beyond sustainable levels.
These countries had proposed a broad prohibition on fisheries subsidies with limited exceptions for developing countries contingent on their complying with strict requirements of fisheries management systems.India and the ACP countries contended that the S&DT provisions in the text circulated by the chairman would not be enough to take care of the interests of the small and marginal fishermen in poor countries.
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They said that inadequate S&DT provisions would spell doom for such fishermen in developing countries.
The negotiations on rules is part of the WTO Doha round which is working on multilateral agreements in various areas including agriculture, industrial goods and services.
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