Project
ShutterstockTowards an end to subsidies that promote overfishing
Overfishing is one of the main problems for the health of our ocean. And the provision of negative subsidies to the fishing sector is one of the fundamental causes of overfishing.
Fishing subsidies are financial contributions, direct or indirect, that public entities grant to the industry.
Depending on their impacts, they can be beneficial when they promote the growth of fish stocks through conservation and fishery resource management tools. And they are considered negative or detrimental when they promote overfishing with support for, for example, increasing the catch capacity of a fishing fleet.
It is estimated that every year, governments spend approximately 22 billion dollars in negative subsidies to compensate costs for fuel, fishing gear and vessel improvements, among others.
Recent data show that, as a result of this support, 63% of fish stocks worldwide must be rebuilt and 34% are fished at "biologically unsustainable" levels.
Although negotiations on fisheries subsidies, within the framework of the World Trade Organization, officially began in 2001, it was not until the 2017 WTO Ministerial Conference that countries committed to taking action to reach an agreement.
This finally happened in June 2022, when member countries of the World Trade Organization reached, after more than two decades, a binding agreement to curb some harmful fisheries subsidies. It represents a fundamental step toward achieving the effective management of our fisheries resources, as well as toward ensuring global food security and the livelihoods of coastal communities.
The agreement reached at the 12th WTO Ministerial Conference provides for the creation of a global framework to reduce subsidies for illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing; subsidies for fishing overexploited stocks; and subsidies for vessels fishing on the unregulated high seas. It also includes measures aimed at greater transparency and accountability in the way governments support their fisheries sector.
The countries agreed to continue negotiating rules to curb other harmful subsidies, such as those that promote fishing in other countries' waters, overfishing and the overcapacity of a fleet to catch more fish than is sustainable.
If we want to have abundant and healthy fishery resources, it is time to change the way we have conceived fishing until now. We must focus our efforts on creating models of fishery use that allow for long-term conservation.
Partners:
Six advances for Latin America’s reefs in 2018
In 2018, we joined people and organizations around the world in celebrating the International Year of the Reef. AIDA was part of a global movement to increase awareness of the value of reefs and the threats they’re facing. To advance reef conservation in the Americas, we took part in a variety of legal actions to protect reefs in Mexico and the Caribbean. As always, we’re proud to celebrate the small victories we’ve achieved on the road to environmental justice in 2018. Together with our supporters and allies we: Supported a case in defense of the Veracruz Reef In February, we presented an amicus brief in support of an amparo filed by local residents against the expansion of the Port of Veracruz. We outlined how Mexico’s approval of the project in 2013 violated the nation’s international environmental and human rights commitments. Just a year earlier, the government had reduced the area of the reef system, changing its boundaries to make the project viable. At the time of authorization, adequate scientific information was not available to understand how to avoid damaging the reefs and protect the services they provide to the people of Veracruz. To raise awareness of the issue, we also co-produced a documentary, Battle for the Reefs of Veracruz. Alerted the Ramsar Convention to threats to Puerto Morelos Reef We sent an Urgent Alert to the Secretariat of the Ramsar Convention, alerting them to the threats to Puerto Morelos Reef National Park, a national protected area and Wetland of International Importance. Together with a coalition of civil society organizations, we solicited a visit of international experts to evaluate the risks facing the site, particularly changes in land use in coastal ecosystems due to massive and unsustainable tourism development. Created a Working Group on Threats to Mexico’s Wetlands In May, the Working Group on Threats was created within the National Wetlands Committee, which AIDA helped create in order to motivate Mexico to comply with its obligations to protect at-risk wetlands of international importance. Within the framework of this Group, efforts are being made to strengthen national actions to protect Ramsar ecosystems, including reefs and the herbivorous fish that make their home in them. Supported the protection of 10 species of parrotfish in Mexico’s Caribbean In October we presented a letter of support outlining international environmental and human rights arguments for the inclusion of 10 species of parrotfish on Mexico’s national list of at-risk species. While the inclusion has been acknowledged and accepted, official confirmation is expected early this year. Our efforts supported a proposal of the Health Reefs Initiative that seeks to legally protect parrotfish species, which are critical to maintaining a healthy coral reef ecosystem. Parrotfish and other herbivorous fish feed on algae that compete with corals for light and oxygen, thus enabling the reef to flourish. Helped Establish a Working Group on Corals in Costa Rica In coordination with the Ministry of Environment, we helped organize a working group of academic experts, members of civil society and competent governmental authorities that will propose comprehensive solutions to the problems facing the country’s coral ecosystems. Together we will work to ensure integral solutions to protect Costa Rica’s coral reefs. Supported a Working Group on Herbivorous Fish in Guatemala In coordination with the Healthy Reefs Initiative, academics from San Carlos University and members of the government, we’ve supported the creation of a working group to draft a technical-scientific document that outlines the information necessary for a ministerial decree to prohibit the fishing of herbivorous fish in the Guatemalan Caribbean and, thus, protect the nation’s reefs.
Read moreSix advances for Latin America’s reefs in 2018
In 2018, we joined people and organizations around the world in celebrating the International Year of the Reef. AIDA was part of a global movement to increase awareness of the value of reefs and the threats they’re facing. To advance reef conservation in the Americas, we took part in a variety of legal actions to protect reefs in Mexico and the Caribbean. As always, we’re proud to celebrate the small victories we’ve achieved on the road to environmental justice in 2018. Together with our supporters and allies we: Supported a case in defense of the Veracruz Reef In February, we presented an amicus brief in support of an amparo filed by local residents against the expansion of the Port of Veracruz. We outlined how Mexico’s approval of the project in 2013 violated the nation’s international environmental and human rights commitments. Just a year earlier, the government had reduced the area of the reef system, changing its boundaries to make the project viable. At the time of authorization, adequate scientific information was not available to understand how to avoid damaging the reefs and protect the services they provide to the people of Veracruz. To raise awareness of the issue, we also co-produced a documentary, Battle for the Reefs of Veracruz. Alerted the Ramsar Convention to threats to Puerto Morelos Reef We sent an Urgent Alert to the Secretariat of the Ramsar Convention, alerting them to the threats to Puerto Morelos Reef National Park, a national protected area and Wetland of International Importance. Together with a coalition of civil society organizations, we solicited a visit of international experts to evaluate the risks facing the site, particularly changes in land use in coastal ecosystems due to massive and unsustainable tourism development. Created a Working Group on Threats to Mexico’s Wetlands In May, the Working Group on Threats was created within the National Wetlands Committee, which AIDA helped create in order to motivate Mexico to comply with its obligations to protect at-risk wetlands of international importance. Within the framework of this Group, efforts are being made to strengthen national actions to protect Ramsar ecosystems, including reefs and the herbivorous fish that make their home in them. Supported the protection of 10 species of parrotfish in Mexico’s Caribbean In October we presented a letter of support outlining international environmental and human rights arguments for the inclusion of 10 species of parrotfish on Mexico’s national list of at-risk species. While the inclusion has been acknowledged and accepted, official confirmation is expected early this year. Our efforts supported a proposal of the Health Reefs Initiative that seeks to legally protect parrotfish species, which are critical to maintaining a healthy coral reef ecosystem. Parrotfish and other herbivorous fish feed on algae that compete with corals for light and oxygen, thus enabling the reef to flourish. Helped Establish a Working Group on Corals in Costa Rica In coordination with the Ministry of Environment, we helped organize a working group of academic experts, members of civil society and competent governmental authorities that will propose comprehensive solutions to the problems facing the country’s coral ecosystems. Together we will work to ensure integral solutions to protect Costa Rica’s coral reefs. Supported a Working Group on Herbivorous Fish in Guatemala In coordination with the Healthy Reefs Initiative, academics from San Carlos University and members of the government, we’ve supported the creation of a working group to draft a technical-scientific document that outlines the information necessary for a ministerial decree to prohibit the fishing of herbivorous fish in the Guatemalan Caribbean and, thus, protect the nation’s reefs.
Read moreSix advances for Latin America’s reefs in 2018
In 2018, we joined people and organizations around the world in celebrating the International Year of the Reef. AIDA was part of a global movement to increase awareness of the value of reefs and the threats they’re facing. To advance reef conservation in the Americas, we took part in a variety of legal actions to protect reefs in Mexico and the Caribbean. As always, we’re proud to celebrate the small victories we’ve achieved on the road to environmental justice in 2018. Together with our supporters and allies we: Supported a case in defense of the Veracruz Reef In February, we presented an amicus brief in support of an amparo filed by local residents against the expansion of the Port of Veracruz. We outlined how Mexico’s approval of the project in 2013 violated the nation’s international environmental and human rights commitments. Just a year earlier, the government had reduced the area of the reef system, changing its boundaries to make the project viable. At the time of authorization, adequate scientific information was not available to understand how to avoid damaging the reefs and protect the services they provide to the people of Veracruz. To raise awareness of the issue, we also co-produced a documentary, Battle for the Reefs of Veracruz. Alerted the Ramsar Convention to threats to Puerto Morelos Reef We sent an Urgent Alert to the Secretariat of the Ramsar Convention, alerting them to the threats to Puerto Morelos Reef National Park, a national protected area and Wetland of International Importance. Together with a coalition of civil society organizations, we solicited a visit of international experts to evaluate the risks facing the site, particularly changes in land use in coastal ecosystems due to massive and unsustainable tourism development. Created a Working Group on Threats to Mexico’s Wetlands In May, the Working Group on Threats was created within the National Wetlands Committee, which AIDA helped create in order to motivate Mexico to comply with its obligations to protect at-risk wetlands of international importance. Within the framework of this Group, efforts are being made to strengthen national actions to protect Ramsar ecosystems, including reefs and the herbivorous fish that make their home in them. Supported the protection of 10 species of parrotfish in Mexico’s Caribbean In October we presented a letter of support outlining international environmental and human rights arguments for the inclusion of 10 species of parrotfish on Mexico’s national list of at-risk species. While the inclusion has been acknowledged and accepted, official confirmation is expected early this year. Our efforts supported a proposal of the Health Reefs Initiative that seeks to legally protect parrotfish species, which are critical to maintaining a healthy coral reef ecosystem. Parrotfish and other herbivorous fish feed on algae that compete with corals for light and oxygen, thus enabling the reef to flourish. Helped Establish a Working Group on Corals in Costa Rica In coordination with the Ministry of Environment, we helped organize a working group of academic experts, members of civil society and competent governmental authorities that will propose comprehensive solutions to the problems facing the country’s coral ecosystems. Together we will work to ensure integral solutions to protect Costa Rica’s coral reefs. Supported a Working Group on Herbivorous Fish in Guatemala In coordination with the Healthy Reefs Initiative, academics from San Carlos University and members of the government, we’ve supported the creation of a working group to draft a technical-scientific document that outlines the information necessary for a ministerial decree to prohibit the fishing of herbivorous fish in the Guatemalan Caribbean and, thus, protect the nation’s reefs.
Read more