Seafood Trade: Implications of WTO, IUU and Food Safety
Controls
Rebecca LentSpecial AdvisorWorld Bank
OverviewImportance of international trade in seafood
Import measures related to:Seafood safetyEcological sustainabilityIUU fishing
WTO: Focus on subsidies
Outlook
International Trade in SeafoodWorld’s most heavily traded food commodityNearly 40% of all seafood tradedTrade and global processing centersIncreasing trend in south-to-north
Heavy dependence on importsIncreasing concern about food safety overallSome countries requiring certificates/on-site
inspectionRole of voluntary inspection Ensuring no technical barriers to trade – shifts
burden to exporting country
Import measures: Seafood Safety
Recent examplesCanada – animal health regulations limit some
live/uneviscerated fishChina – information requirements for wild and
farmed salmonKorea – prior listing for producers of fish heads, fish
entrails, roe and squid ink glandMultiple countries: requirement of certificates for
seafood inspection
Import measures:Ecological sustainability
Ensuring that import demand is not a driver in unsustainable ecological impacts of fishing
Most common for private certification/ecolabels, e.g. Marine Stewardship Council
Some unilateral measures:U.S. – Shark fishery management and marine
mammal bycatchJapan – working with seafood importers
Import measures:IUU fishing
Concern that import markets may be drivers of IUUJapan – working with importersUnited States – biennial report to Congress
identifying and certifying countries for IUUEuropean union – IUU catch certificate requirement
and related activitiesRFMOs – restrictions on imports for flag states based
on IUU fishing
World Trade OrganizationFocus on role of subsidies
Two-fold motivation:Leveling the playing fieldSubsidies vs. overcapitalization/overfishing
Negotiations on “disciplines” to avoid subsidies that contribute to overcapacity and overfishing
OutlookIncreased scrutiny on marine stewardshipRetailers may be keyNational, multilateral
and global effortsReminder
Global Partnership for Oceans
Thank you!