Why Tanzania said ‘no’ to removal of fishing subsidy

Negotiations in recent months at the WTO headquarters in Geneva had enabled a draft text to be brought forward for a second fisheries agreement, which aimed to provide flexibility and advantages for developing countries.

However, some developing countries that attended the high-level WTO conference which ended on Saturday, demanded fairness in the proposed global agreement, which they thought would hinder their ability to benefit from fishing resources within their waters.

“In our country, fishing is a crucial sector of the economy, providing employment to a large segment of the population, especially small-scale fishermen. Therefore, preventing governmental and policy support may hinder fishermen’s ability to compete efficiently in deep-sea fishing,” said Industry and Trade permanent secretary Hashil Abdallah, who led Tanzania’s delegation to the meeting.

According to him, the fishing industry employs approximately 200,000 fishermen directly and contributes significantly to the country’s economy.

“Such ban will weaken and hinder them, as they lack the resources and modern tools that are essential for effective fishing. Consequently, this may result in the dominance of foreign entities, particularly those from developed countries, who possess advanced and modern equipment, exacerbating our dependency on them,” he said.

Some 40 countries accepted the proposed agreement, aim to compel countries to refrain from providing subsidies that encourage excessive fishing, given the global decline in fish populations.

Tanzania and many other African, Caribbean and Pacific nations are calling for further negotiations to ensure that the agreement does not hinder their ability to benefit from fishing resources within their waters.

“We do not completely oppose the proposed agreement which seek to eliminate harmful subsidies in fishing but some of its terms undermine the development of fishing industries in developing nations,” said Dr Abdallah.

The primary objective of addressing issues of overcapacity and overfishing in the fishing industry is generally good, but Dr Abdallah said these challenges have been exacerbated by subsidies provided by developed countries, enabling their fishing vessels to operate in the waters of less developed and developing nations.

“The position of developing nations emphasises that developed nations should bear the cost of the depletion of fishing resources by eliminating their subsidies,” he added.

The contention within the agreement lies in its terms such as imposing a ban on subsidies for commercial or industrial fishing and requiring developing nations to refrain from providing subsidies to deep-sea fishermen.

The government has been supporting the fishing industry as Zanzibar is also gearing up the implementation of the Blue Economy agenda which targets to exploit potentials of the water resources.

In January, President Samia Suluhu Hassan graced the distribution of fishing equipment to fishermen and fishing groups in the Lake Zone regions.

During the event held in Mwanza, a total of 55 boats were provided to 989 fishermen. Mwanza Region received 26 boats, Mara received 11 boats and Geita received nine boats. Kagera Region received eight boats while Simiyu region received one fishing vessel.

Last September, President Hassan also handed over 160 boats to fishermen and seaweed farmers in Kilwa District of Lindi Region, where she also launched a Sh280 billion Kilwa Masoko Fishing Port project, which together are expected to drive Tanzania’s ambitious blue economy agenda.

The outcomes of the World Trade Organization’s 13th ministerial conference in Abu Dhabi highlighted the sharp divisions between the body´s 164 members amid geopolitical tensions and economic headwinds that are threatening global commerce.

The WTO, the only international body dealing with the rules of trade between nations, requires full consensus from all members to chalk up deals.

At MC13, a revised draft fisheries agreement also faced strong objections from India that demanded further concessions, including transition periods that others consider to be too long.

Negotiations stalled over demands from India for a 25-year transition period as well as calls for greater surveillance and penalties for countries that deliver the bulk of fisheries subsidies.

Some observers said the outcome is a major setback for marine biodiversity conservation efforts.

“We are honestly exasperated by the outcome. This should have been the moment when the world woke up to the fact that if we continue this foolish race to catch the last fish, there will be no winners. We will be all losers,” said WWF global lead for the WTO fisheries subsidies negotiations, Ms Anna Holl-Buhl.

“This is a huge missed opportunity to end harmful subsidies for overfishing that are threatening the health and well-being of billions of people worldwide, who rely on fisheries for their nutrition and livelihoods,” she added.