This book identifies possible transition paths to responsible fisheries, assesses their consequences and provides policy recommendations on how to enhance prosperity in this sector.

If the fishing industry is to survive in the long term, more responsible practices and approaches need to be adopted. This involves not only the industry’s own practices, but also public sector policies and in particular fisheries management approaches. This book identifies possible transition paths to responsible fisheries, assesses their consequences and provides policy recommendations on how to enhance prosperity in this sector. Analytical work by the OECD on fisheries is carried out by the Committee for Fisheries and covers a wide range of issues related to management, resource conservation, trade and sustainable development.

If the fishing industry is to survive in the long term, more responsible practices and approaches need to be adopted. This involves not only the industry’s own practices, but also public sector policies and in particular fisheries management ...

The papers comprise background information and discussion guidelines by the FAO Secretariat; a thorough and exhaustive review of the concepts that have been used to define fishery subsidies; a review of the published assessment of the public sector subsidies to the fishery sector and their impact on trade of fish and fish products and fishery resource sustainability; and a review of methodologies used to assess the trade-distorting impact of subsidies to the fishery sector.

The Consultation defined four sets of subsidies and recommended that these " Sets of subsidies" be referred to in future discussions and analysis of subsidies. The experts concluded that empirical knowledge of impact is extremely weak. This is true both in respect of impact on trade and impact on fishery resources. The Consultation identified priorities for further research about the impact of subsidies. In respect of impact on fishery resources, priority for future study was given for the following categories : "capital expansion", "tax waivers and deferrals" and "price support". With respect to impact on trade, the experts assigned priorities to future study of actions that would "reduce the relative price of inputs" and "reduce fishing effort" and to management and regulatory actions. The experts also discussed the methods that would be best suited to carry out these studies.

Describes major developments affecting fisheries in OECD countries, including changes in government policies, trade, and fisheries and aquaculture production. This edition contains a special chapter on economic and social sustainability indicators for fisheries.

The fisheries sector is in crisis. Inappropriate subsidies to the fishing industry are a key factor responsible for worldwide fisheries depletion, overcapitalization and ecosystem degradation. There is an urgent need for an international mechanism to promote the appropriate restructuring of fisheries subsidies in order to create a more sustainable industry. In recent years the leading international forum charged with providing such a mechanism has been the World Trade Organization (WTO).This book explains why and how the reform of fisheries subsidies has become one of the most concrete and potentially successful international efforts to achieve global environmental, economic and developmental policy coherence. It describes the history and current status of the discussions at the WTO, drawing on UNEP's key documents and reflecting on the major issues. Accompanying the book are downloadable resources containing full-text versions of the most important source material used in the publication. The book is aimed at a broad stakeholder audience, including policymakers in the fields of trade, fisheries, environmental economics and international environmental governance, as well as academics and others looking for an overview of the fisheries subsidies issue and an introduction to its technical components.Published with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)