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!

Rebecca.Lentrlent@worldbank.org