Parliament has ratified the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Fisheries Subsidies Agreement which is aimed at eliminating certain harmful fisheries subsidies that contribute to overfishing and unsustainable fishing practices.

It is a key requirement towards the reversal of Ghana’s current yellow card status issued by the European Union as a result of IUU fishing practices.

The agreement would help global efforts at curbing subsidies that lead to overcapacity, overfishing and illegal unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, and would subsequently promote sustainable marine resource management.

If assented to by the President, the agreement would also offer Ghana an opportunity to enhance measures against IUU fishing and other unsustainable fishing practices by ensuring a firm stance in negotiating agreement articles, improvement in data collection and reporting on fisheries indicators as well as increase transparency among WTO members.

The ratification would further highlight Ghana’s commitment to global cooperation, align with its roles as host of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and a founding member of the African Union (AU).

The joint memorandum on the ratification of the WTO agreement on Fisheries Subsidies was presented to the House by the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Emelia Arthur, last Wednesday.

It was subsequently referred to the Committee on Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs and leadership of the Committee on Trade, Industry and Tourism for consideration and report.

Background

Ahead of the ratification of the agreement, the report of the Committee on Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs, signed by its Chairman, Dr Godfred Seidu Jasaw, said overfishing in ocean and other water bodies had become widespread in recent times.

It said that illegal, unreported and unregulated practices in fishing had attracted serious concerns from across the globe, citing the Food and Agriculture Organisation which claimed that approximately 35 per cent of marine fish stocks had been exploited beyond sustainable levels.

“It is well-established that certain subsidies can contribute to excessive fishing capacity, promote unsustainable fishing practices and accelerate the depletion of fish stocks by lowering the cost of operations or boosting revenues,” it added.

The report also noted how the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14.6 specifically called for the prohibition of subsidies that contributed to excessive fishing effort and capacity.

“The average contribution of the sector to GDP in Ghana is estimated at 1.1 per cent and 5.4 per cent to agricultural GDP for the period 2014-2023,” according to a 2023 report by the Ghana Statistical Service and the Fisheries Commission.

The sector had, however, seen declining catches in recent years, with concerns about overcapacity in the fishing fleet, from both industrial and artisanal fishers.

Action

The report further said that SDG 14.6 required that by 2020, member countries prohibited certain forms of fisheries subsidies which contributed to overcapacity and overfishing, and eliminate subsidies that contributed to IUU fishing.

Ratifying the agreement, it said it formed part of efforts to attaining target 14.6 of the SDGs that was ratified by Ghana but was missed in 2020.

The agreement had objectives which aligned with the Marine Fisheries Management Plan, 2022-2026, including aligning fishing effort with estimated annual sustainable yield reducing overfishing or excessive capacity and improving data collection and enhancement of knowledge of the biology of fish species, among others.