The China factor looms large over Indian negotiators at the World Trade Organisation as they try to ensure adequate protection for the country’s artisanal fishing community.

“Talks on fisheries subsidies have resumed at the WTO after the Buenos Aires Ministerial Meet in December failed to lead to an agreement on commitments. We are concerned about special and differential treatment for protecting poor fishers as many members were hesitant about it at the ministerial since China, too, would have to be extended the same,” a government official told Businessline .

Ministerial decision

Under the ministerial decision on fisheries subsidies, members agreed to continue to engage constructively in the fisheries subsidies negotiations with a view to adopting an agreement by the next Ministerial Conference in 2019 on disciplines that prohibit subsidies that contribute to overcapacity and overfishing, and eliminate subsidies that contribute to illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

Lacks clarity

While some civil society organisations such as Paris-based Bloom blamed India for blocking an agreement on fisheries despite all agreeing that special and differential treatment was needed for small-scale fisheries in developing countries, New Delhi says there was no clarity on whether it would be enough to protect the country’s interest.

“China has larger fisheries subsidies than India. As many members are not eager to give the country exemptions, there was no clarity on what kind of special and differential treatment would be agreed to and whether it would be enough to protect Indian fishers. That is why we wanted more time,” the official said.

New Delhi is keen to get flexibilities in the form of special and differential treatment in the implementation of commitments to curb subsidies, as the subsidies it provides, in the form of support for motorisation of fishing boats, fuel rebates and infrastructure support, fall under the targeted subsidies list at the WTO.

‘Friends of Fish’

The discussions on curbing fisheries subsidies is led by an informal grouping of members called ‘Friends of Fish’ (including Argentina, Australia, Chile, Colombia, New Zealand, Norway, Iceland, Pakistan, Peru and the US), which argues that subsidies to the fisheries sector – estimated at $14-$20.5 billion annually or 20-25 per cent of revenues – have led to over-capacity and over-fishing.

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