Progress report for
Sustainable Trade in Fisheries - Assisting Member States to Implement Effective, Inclusive and Sustainable Policies
Achievement at a glance
Side event on Fish Trade, Fisheries Subsidies and SDG 14<br>11th of December 2017
<br>Jointly organised by UNCTAD-FAO-UNEP-Commonwealth
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<br>The event gave an opportunity to build political consensus behind the issue and gain a deeper understanding of some trade-related aspects of SDG 14 concerning life under the sea. Matters covered included regulatory issues, prohibition of certain fish subsidies, market access and fish management systems. A the event there was a great variety of speakers and different perspectives from UNCTAD, FAO, the Commonwealth Secretariat, the EU, Argentina, Papua New Guinea, private sector (CEIPA) and civil society (CUTS).
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<br>WTO members have been discussing fisheries subsidies since 2001 as part of the Doha Development Round. In 2015 the issue took on new sense with the adoption of the SDGs, and target 14.6. The event showed that, although some WTO members were still unsure about final agreement, a solution was urgently needed. Should there be no fisheries agreement at MC11, we must find other platforms within the United Nations to continue the discussions ensure a solution is found by 2020, UNCTAD Secretary-General Mukhisa Kituyi said.
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<br>Highlights of the event included comments on the significance of fish and fish products to international trade, food security, nutrition, poverty reduction and development. Fish and seafood products are the most traded food commodity globally and remain an important employment generator in developing countries.
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<br>The regulatory framework and relevant international instruments were also covered through key international instruments that underlie and contribute to a functional fisheries management system and the development of potential disciplines on fish subsidies. Also taken into consideration were the non-tariff measures that face the fish sector in accessing international markets which may include harmful fishing subsidies and how they affect market access, particularly from developing countries. A takeaway from the event was that sustainable fisheries, especially in developing countries, depend on eliminating unjustifiable and unsustainable subsidies, which distort market prices, contribute to overfishing, overcapacity and generate unfair competition between industrial fleets and small scale, artisanal fishermen.
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<br>This was made clearer when target 14.6, which is meant to be achieved by 2020, was discussed. A failure with SDG 14.6 could have a domino effect on other SDGs. Speakers at the event said special and differential treatment must be an integral part of the negotiating outcome under Target 14.6 and WTO mandates.
<br>UNCTAD, UNEP and FAO have built up momentum and provided guidance in the form of a joint statement at the UN Ocean Conference in June 2107, which deepened their partnership by offering a voluntary commitment to expand trade-related aspects of Sustainable Development Goal 14 between now and 2020.
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<br>For more information see: http://unctad.org/en/pages/MeetingDetails.aspx?meetingid=1587
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<br>For information on expert views on WTO MC 11 outcomes see:
<br>http://unctad.org/en/pages/newsdetails.aspx?OriginalVersionID=1642&Sitemap_x0020_Taxonomy=UNCTAD%20Home;#2186;#UNCTAD%20at%20MC11;#2141;#Fisheries%20Subsidies;#2079;#Oceans%20Economy%20-%20Fisheries c
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