Director-General Okonjo-Iweala has expressed her approval of Mauritius's formal acceptance of the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies, describing it as a "concrete demonstration of Mauritius's commitment to the WTO system and to global efforts to improve the sustainability of the world's marine fisheries." She highlighted that the fisheries sector has been a significant source of employment and exports for Mauritius and continues to play a vital role in its plans to develop its blue economy.
Okonjo-Iweala further stated, "A healthy ocean, built on strong and cooperative fisheries management, will be a reliable source of long-lasting economic and environmental benefits, paying dividends for future generations of Mauritians.”
Ambassador Dwarka-Canabady also shared his thoughts: “Mauritius is pleased to be the 75th WTO member to deposit its instrument of acceptance of the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies and looks forward to the entry into force of the Agreement this year. As a Small Island Developing State with large maritime zones, Mauritius remains committed to combating illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and to sustainable fisheries globally as an essential component of climate security, for preserving healthy ecosystems and achieving food security.”
The formal acceptance by Mauritius brings the total number of WTO members that have formally accepted the Agreement to 75. Thirteen members from Africa have formally accepted it. The Agreement will come into effect once it is accepted by two-thirds of the membership; currently, thirty-five more formal acceptances are needed.
The Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies was adopted by consensus at the WTO's 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12), held in Geneva from June 12-17, 2022. It sets new binding multilateral rules aimed at curbing harmful subsidies that contribute significantly to the widespread depletion of global fish stocks. The Agreement also recognizes the needs of developing and least-developed countries by establishing a fund to provide technical assistance and capacity building to help them implement the obligations.
The Agreement prohibits support for illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, bans support for fishing overfished stocks, and ends subsidies for fishing on the unregulated high seas. At MC12, members also agreed to continue negotiations on outstanding issues with a view to adopting additional provisions that would further enhance the disciplines of the Agreement.