Fisheries subsidies
The WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies marks a major milestone for ocean sustainability by prohibiting harmful fisheries subsidies, a key factor in the widespread depletion of the world’s fish stocks. The Agreement represents a historic achievement for the membership as the first WTO agreement to focus on the environment, the first broad, binding, multilateral agreement on ocean sustainability, and only the second multilateral agreement reached at the WTO since its inception.
Adopted at the WTO's 12th Ministerial Conference in June 2022, the Agreement entered into force once two-thirds of members had deposited their “instruments of acceptance” with the WTO. This threshold was reached at a ceremony on 15 September 2025. At MC12, members also agreed to continue negotiations on additional provisions that would further enhance the disciplines of the Agreement. These negotiations are ongoing under the auspices of the Negotiating Group on Rules.
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Introduction: Fisheries Subsidies
Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies, Ministerial Decision of 17 June 2022
Mandate
The Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies delivers on the mandate from the 11th Ministerial Conference, as contained in the Buenos Aires Ministerial Decision, and on the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14.6, which is part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development adopted by all United Nations member states in 2015, and affirms the WTO's role in the global fisheries subsidies agenda.
Committee on Fisheries Subsidies
The Committee on Fisheries Subsidies oversees the implementation of the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies and provides a forum for members to raise and address related questions and concerns.
Fisheries Funding Mechanism
As part of the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies, members endorsed the establishment of a new funding mechanism to accept voluntary contributions, with the aim of providing technical assistance to developing and least-developed country members to help them implement the Agreement.
Members submitting acceptance of the Agreement
Instruments of acceptance
Information for members on how to deposit their “instruments of acceptance” of the protocol of the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies can be accessed here.
External links
- Review of the state of world marine fishery resources – 2025
- The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2024
- OECD Recommendation on Eliminating Government Support to Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing
- OECD Review of Fisheries 2025 | OECD International instruments related to fisheries
- Illuminating Hidden Harvests (IHH), FAO
- The Sunken Billions Revisited: Progress and Challenges in Global Marine Fisheries (2017), World Bank
International instruments related to fisheries
- Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties
- United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
- Agreement for the Implementation of the Provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 10 December 1982 Relating to the Conservation and Management of Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks
- FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries
- Agreement to promote compliance with international conservation and management measures by fishing vessels on the high seas
- FAO International Plan of Action to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing
- Agreement on Port State Measures to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing
- FAO Voluntary Guidelines for Flag State Performance
- FAO Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries
- FAO Voluntary Guidelines for Catch Documentation Schemes
- UN Sustainable Development Goals
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Presentations on fisheries subsidies
- Presentation by the WTO Secretariat on the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies (May 2025)
- Presentation from the Thematic Session on Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs) (May 2025)
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