World Trade Organization Fisheries Subsidies Trust Fund

Members concluded the World Trade Organization (WTO) agreement on fisheries subsidies at the 12th Ministerial Conference in June 2022. They established a voluntary funding mechanism to support implementation by developing countries and least-developed country Members and this grant is Canada’s contribution. The WTO Fisheries Subsidies Trust Fund provides technical assistance and capacity building to support developing and least developed country WTO Members in their implementation of the new provisions established under the Agreement including through identifying and reforming harmful fisheries subsidies strengthening fisheries management practices and enhancing data collection use and reporting surrounding subsidies and subsidized fisheries. The WTO operates the Fund with partner organizations possessing relevant expertise including the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations the International Fund for Agricultural Development and the World Bank Group.

The expected outcomes of this project include: (1) increased support for developing and least developed countries with the reform of their fisheries subsidies policies and practices in line with the subsidies disciplines established under the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies; (2) the enhanced collection use and reporting of fisheries data in support of increased transparency surrounding fisheries subsidies; (3) the strengthening of fisheries management systems for better monitoring control and surveillance (4) increased support for the notification and reporting of information related to fisheries subsidies to the WTO.