Overfishing and Stock Assessments: An Analysis of WTO Fisheries Negotiations

Over the past decades, fish stocks have been fast depleting as a result of overfishing, over capacity and other unsustainables practices in the fisheries sector. Growing at an annual average of 3.2 percent, human consumption of fish products has outdone population growth. While this has contibuted to improving people’s diet all over the world, depleting fish stocks present challenges that the global community endeavoured to address as part of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In particular, pursuant to SDG 14.6, discussions at the World Trade Organization (WTO) on better disciplining fisheries subsidies have regained momentum. This paper presents current discussions in the context of the ongoing WTO fisheries negotiations, particularly focusing on the issues of overfishing and stock assessment and how these can be determined