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Sustainable Development and Subsidies in the Fisheries Sector - A Case in Japan -. Nobuyuki Yagi Fisheries Agency. Objectives of this presentation are:. To Describe the Current Status of Fishery Subsidies in Japan.
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Sustainable Development and Subsidies in the Fisheries Sector- A Case in Japan - Nobuyuki Yagi Fisheries Agency
Objectives of this presentation are: • To Describe the Current Status of Fishery Subsidies in Japan. • To Examine their Implications for the Fishing Capacity and Fishery Production in Japan. • Discussion and Conclusion
OECD estimation of government financial transfers to marine capture fisheries in 1998
Increasing Imported Products(unit: in billion yens) Source: Japan’s trade statistics.
Tighter regulations in pelagic and offshore fisheries have contributed to the production decline. (unit: in million tons)
Fishery Management Schemes In Japan • Umbrella measures: Vessel registration and licensing systems • Coastal Fisheries: Traditional Right Based Management • Offshore Fisheries (EEZ): TAC and TAE • Pelagic Fisheries: International Regulations
Use of Infrastructure Subsidy Safety of Coastal Villages
Some points of consideration • Long coastal line in Japan: (The length of Japanese coastal lines are longer than that of mainland USA). • The number of coastal communities is relatively high in Japan if compared with other developed countries. • Japan’s report includes infrastructure subsidy while some others’ do not (Japan is in a unique situation that fishery resource management authority also handles coastal infrastructure budgets.)
OECD estimation of government financial transfers to marine capture fisheries in 1998 (with Japanese infrastructure information incorporated)
Findings • No obvious relationship was observed between the amount of subsidy and fishing capacity. (Fishing capacity is controlled under fishery management schemes in the case of Japan.) • Fishery production would have been more directly affected by resource management and market conditions, rather than the amount of subsidies. • The use of the subsidies, rather than their total amount, would be a key factor for further assessments on the effects caused by subsidies.
Conclusions • Policy filters (information on capacity control and resource management) are necessary to assess the impacts of subsidies. • Standardized rules for the coverage of subsidies (in particular infrastructure subsidies) would be critical for international comparisons. • Fair improvement of disciplines on fishery subsidy for the purpose of solving the problem on over-capacity and IUU fishing is important, and Japan is committed to contribute to the process of WTO so that a fair conclusion could be achieved.