Speaking Notes for Minister for Commerce, Trade, Tourism and Transport on the WTO Fisheries Subsidies Agreement

Speaking Notes for Minister for Commerce, Trade, Tourism and Transport on the WTO Fisheries Subsidies Agreement

15 Jun, 2022

Chair,

• I thank you for giving me the floor, I make this statement on behalf of the Pacific Group. As I speak, I am speaking, not for myself, but on behalf of the small subsistence fishermen out there in the Pacific region. Whilst they are poor, they are the true custodians of one of the best and largest managed Fisheries. Fishing and the ocean are central to our culture and way of life.

• I will not be able to face our fishermen on my return to Fiji, if I have to tell them that we were not able to secure this agreement. The agreement is necessary to protect their way of life, food security and development opportunities in the Pacific. This agreement is not just nice to have but essential to the future of the Pacific, and need I say our Oceans.

• Let's not mince words here, the massive subsidies by large industrial fishing have led to the overfishing of our oceans. This needs to stop.

Chair,

• At the outset, we align ourselves with the statement made by the ACP Group.
• We welcome the latest draft of the text. It is a significant step toward the conclusion of these negotiations.
• However, we have been raising certain challenges and concerns to this forum for several years, but it seems like our voices have simply gone unheard.
• Let me remind this Forum that we may be small, but we are custodians of the largest ocean resources and 50% of tuna fished comes from this same Pacific Ocean. The Pacific region has managed its fish resources very well.
• Therefore, the Fisheries subsidies negotiations is not just an agreement to us, it is about our livelihoods, our survival and our ability to grow as a nation. It is about making sure that we will protect our resources for our future generations, including the lives of our fisherfolk I talked about earlier.
• I am very sure Chair, you are not new to the Pacific challenges and issues, we share the same ocean, we meet as foes on the rugby field, but we are a close family, and our countries are linked through trade and economic cooperation. You would understand our plight. Please HEAR US!!!!,
• And to the rest of the WTO Members, who may not be aware of the Pacific region, for us in the Pacific, Fish is the only resource we have and we own. We are aware the rest of the world wants a piece. We have no objections but this has to be done sustainably with Pacific interest at the fore.
• Chair, in the Pacific, when we take about SDT for us, we are not talking about commercial large volume fishing, we are asking everyone in this room to RESPECT OUR RIGHTS. Our rights to earn a livelihood, our rights to feed our family, our rights to manage our oceans.

Chair,

• What we are asking is not too much, we are asking you look at 2 issues, just TWO. Firstly

1.Quotas and License fees are the norm in the Pacific because we dont own boats - charging of different fees for domestic and foreign vessels by coastal states for fishing and fishing related activities within our EEZ should not be counted as a subsidy. This will allow us to exercise our rights as coastal states under Article 62 of the UNCLOS. Any advantages that licensing and quotas may confer to local poor fisherman should be deemed not to be a subsidy. In this regard Chair, we FULLY support the ACP proposal and urge that this be taken ON BOARD. The proposal seeks an insertion to footnote 2 stating 'the charging of different and lower fees for domestic and foreign vessels or operators by a coastal state for fishing and fishing related activities in its EEZ shall be deemed not to be a subsidy for the purposes of this agreement'

This will preserve our rights.

Chair on Point Two

2. Our concern is the Excessive notification burden for small coastal fisheries. The need to notify catch details of hundreds of small, remote fisheries would be excessively burdensome, and do nothing to solve the subsidy problem. Chair seriously do you want Fiji to account for every fish hook we give to our rural and maritime communities. The obligations are wholly disproportionate and unnecessary.

This can be solved by having a small footnote in Article 8.1, which states - where subsidies for a fishery are less than 100,000 USD/per year, there shall be no obligation to notify.

Chair,

• Our subsistence and artisanal fishers should not have to bear the brunt of prohibitions. But instead should be provided support to ensure compliance, as opposed to punitive measures like cutting off support.
• We are here to have a deal and our desire burns brighter as we are coming very close to a deal. We know that we cannot get a perfect deal, but we would want a good deal. AND THIS DEAL MUST INCLUDE THE PACIFIC. IT MUST.

Chair,

• Thank you and Vinaka vakalevu.

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