Saving Seafood

Long-wrought WTO global agreement aimed at reducing overfishing takes effect

September 15, 2025 — A World Trade Organization agreement aimed at reducing overfishing took effect Monday, requiring countries to reduce subsidies doled out to fishing fleets and aiming to ensure sustainability of wildlife in the world’s seas and oceans.

Following a string of national approvals more than three years after its adoption, the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies is designed to help limit the depletion of fish stocks caused by excessive fishing.

The Geneva-based trade body touts the deal as its first focusing on the environment, and the first broad and binding multilateral agreement on ocean sustainability.

The deal, championed by WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, formally took effect on Monday after four more countries — Brazil, Kenya, Tonga and Vietnam — adopted it.

Read the full article at ABC News

Workshop addresses Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing Activities in Tonga

October 12th, 2016 — Participants from government line ministries are attending a workshop that is aimed at developing a standard operative procedure to put into practice the Niue Treaty Subsidiary Agreement (NTSA) that Tonga ratified last year.

A statement said the workshop will help participants develop their knowledge on the agreement to enhance cooperation between the Pacific Island countries in addressing illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing activities.

Training facilitator Mr. Allan Rahari of the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency’s (FFA) said developing procedures would help Tonga manage the agreement which would benefit the country at a national and regional level.

“So the work this week is developing a standard operative procedure so that Tonga can operationalize or put into practice the actual agreement they’ve ratified. So by the end of the week we will have a procedure in place that Tonga Fisheries will consider and perhaps take it for further discussions with other line agencies and then go for the approval process,” he said.

“The benefit to Tonga is that it will help them implement the treaty not only at a national level but the bigger benefit will be to the region as it helps to address issues around illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing activity in the region.”

Acting CEO for Fisheries Compliance Division Ms. Losilini Loto’ahea said Tonga has benefitted from the ratification of the NTSA.

“We now can access to facilities needed to counter illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing in Tonga through ratifying the NTSA with the assistance of our neighbouring countries such as sharing of data and in terms of emergency.”

“Through this system, we can request for assistance from Australia or New Zealand regarding investigation on illegal fishing or further assistance on a matter which is beyond our control. It is also through this system, that we can be able to identify the available resources from each countries which can assist us if requested.”

Read the full story at Loop

United Nations Treaty to Fight Illegal Fishing Will Take Effect

May 17, 2016 — The Port State Measures Agreement (PSMA), an international treaty intended to help stop illegal fishing, will enter into force now that it has been ratified by more than the 25 governments needed.

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) announced May 16 that six countries—Dominica, Guinea-Bissau, Sudan, Thailand, Tonga, and Vanuatu— had ratified the binding agreement, bringing the total to 30. They join other governments large and small around the world, including the United States and the European Union, and demonstrate the broad range of support for the PSMA.

This is a critical step in the global fight to end illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU)  fishing and  should lead to more governments signing  on to the treaty.  That would strengthen the PSMA and extend its reach to new regions.  We know that more countries are in the process of ratifying the pact, and we expect the numbers to grow.

Read the full story at the Pew Charitable Trusts