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Indonesia wants WTO to regulate subsidies for large fishing firms
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Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti wants the United Nations to draft a regulation on the maritime right to prevent overexploitation of international waters. (Antara/Hafidz Mubarak A)
I
ndonesia has proposed that the World Trade Organization (WTO) regulate a subsidy from states to large corporations that run fishing businesses.
Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry product competitiveness director general Nilanto Perbowo said giving subsidies to large companies was not a fair practice for small, individual fishermen, who could only operate near coastal areas.
Nilanto explained that fish migrate from the high seas to waters near the coast and vice versa. “Giving subsidies to large corporations helps them catch fish on the high seas, making independent fishermen catch only a small amount of fish,” Nilanto said in Jakarta as reported by kompas.com on Wednesday.
Among the countries that give subsidies to large fishing companies include China, Spain and Japan, while countries that oppose the practice include Indonesia, Norway and some in Africa, the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean.
Nilanto also said such subsidy schemes caused overfishing in international waters, which are beyond countries' jurisdiction.
He said only small, independent fishermen deserved such subsidies.
Meanwhile, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti also called on the United Nations to draft a regulation on the maritime right to prevent overexploitation of international waters. (bbn)
