The World Trade Organization (WTO) announced that its Fish Fund is now fully operational, with the first call for proposals set to close next week. The fund has received contributions and pledges totaling approximately CHF 14.5 million (USD 18 million). Donors include Australia, Canada, the European Union, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Liechtenstein, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom.
The Fish Fund was created under Article 7 of the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies. This agreement was adopted by ministers at the 12th Ministerial Conference in 2022. The fund is managed by the WTO and works in cooperation with organizations such as the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and the World Bank.
A list of all WTO members that have submitted their instrument of acceptance for the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies is available on the WTO website. Additional information about how to access funding through this mechanism can also be found online.
For more details about the fund and its operations, visit the WTO Fish Fund website.