Hi, just thought I'd mention this in case folk hadn't heard about it. The US has proposed that the international community should stop many of the subsidies given to the fishing industry by governments. They have the backing of several other countries in this.

This comes under marine conservation because there is a belief that these subsidies provide an incentive for increasing the level of fishing overcapacity, and without them some fisheries will probably prove uneconomic at the current level of effort.

I can hear the screams (from the industry) already! :yelling:

:bugout: :goofysca: :twisted: :grin:

I can hear the screams (from the industry) already! :yelling:

:bugout: :goofysca: :twisted: :grin:

Well that depends. I would imagine fishers from countries with few or no subsidies who have been competing on the international market against heavily subsidised fleets will probably be quite happy with the idea. :wink:

The US proposed this???

U N B E L I E V A B L E! :shock:

The US proposed this???

Yep. From what I've been seeing the US is actually being quite supportive/pro-active about fisheries issues. For instance they are one of the nations that agreed to the trawling restrictions in the South Pacific that were passed recently. And having the US weigh in on one side of an international discussion does carry a lot of weight so I ain't complaining.

Neither am I, but I still find it unbelievable. This is the land of massive subsidies to industries that don't need it.

Well that depends. I would imagine fishers from countries with few or no subsidies who have been competing on the international market against heavily subsidised fleets will probably be quite happy with the idea. :wink:

True, but they'll probably yell quieter!

J