PremiumIndia is seeking a 25-year exemption from the proposed overfishing subsidy prohibitions as against seven years mentioned in the draft text, with the sector in India still at a nascent stage
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GENEVA : India would not sign the deal on curbing fisheries sops without a longer transition period of 25-years for developing countries, commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal signalled at the World Trade Organisation talks on Tuesday. Calling out rich countries for an imbalanced text favouring the ‘polluters’ that dole out heavy subsidies, Goyal pressed for a moratorium that would prevent them from giving any kind of fishing subsidies beyond their exclusive economic zones.
India is seeking a 25-year exemption from the proposed overfishing subsidy prohibitions as against seven years mentioned in the draft text, with the sector in India still at a nascent stage.
“We feel that without agreeing to the 25 year transition period, it will be impossible for us to finalise the negotiations. As the policy space is essential for the long term sustainable growth and prosperity of our low income fishermen," said Goyal during his intervention at the thematic session on Fisheries Subsidies on the third day of the 12th ministerial conference at the World Trade Organisation taking place in Geneva.
Highlighting the large subsidy disparity between developing and advanced nations, Goyal said that India only gives a subsidy of $15 per fisher per year, compared to $42000, $65000, and $75000 per fisher by Denmark, Sweden, and Netherlands on an annual basis.
“Our subsidies are one of the lowest…we don’t operate huge fishing fleets to exploit the resources indiscriminately like any other advanced fishing nation….That is the extent of disparity that is sought to be institutionalized, through the current fisheries text," said Goyal.
Incidentally India was not called for the crucial green room meeting on fisheries on Tuesday, sources in Geneva told Mint, which experts pointed out was “concerning" for consensus building. The WTO’s green room meetings are gatherings of representatives of up to 30 member countries, invited by the director general (DG). To provide a basis for a consensus on critical negotiating issues that can be brought to the WTO membership as a whole.
The Fisheries Subsidies proposal at the WTO aims to eliminate subsidies that contribute to overfishing, curb support for illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing and promote sustainable fishing. However, India has been batting for carve outs for developing countries including a longer transition period to protect the livelihoods of poor fishers and address food security concerns of a nation. On the contrary, the draft text aims to give protection for non-specific fuel subsidies, mostly given by the developed countries.
“We are also extremely concerned with the proposed prohibition limited to only specific fuel subsidies and leaving out the non-specific fuel subsidies…India would strongly urge that Distant Water Fishing Nations should be subject to a moratorium on giving any kind of subsidies for 25 years for fishing or fishing-related activities beyond their EEZ. It is essential that they transfer these capacities to the developing countries and least developed countries to give them a chance to grow," added Goyal.
In the total fisheries subsidies, the share of fuel subsidies is estimated to be around 22% which is mostly in the form of non-specific fuel subsidies.
The proposal agreement also aims to do away with subsidies contributing to illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, and overfished stocks giving a leeway of two years for developing countries for their low income, resource poor fishers up to an area of 12 nautical miles. India is pressing for at least seven years for this transition and exemption for an area of up to 200 nautical miles.
(The writer is in Geneva on the invitation of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry)