WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies: India’s Accession & Key Features

22 Jul 2026

Subject: GS 3: Economy

Context: India has formally become a party to the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies by depositing its Instrument of Acceptance with the WTO.

About WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies

Adoption: Adopted by consensus at the 12th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC12) held in Geneva in June 2022.
Significance: It is the first multilateral WTO agreement with an environmental sustainability objective.
Entry into Force: Came into force on 15 September 2025 after securing acceptance from two-thirds of WTO members.
Objectives of the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies:
- Curb subsidies contributing to illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing.
- Fishing of overexploited fish stocks.
- Promote the conservation and sustainable use of marine resources.
India’s Accession: India became the 123rd WTO Member to deposit its Instrument of Acceptance.

Scope of the Agreement: Covers subsidies related to marine wild-capture fishing and fishing-related activities at sea.
- Excludes: Aquaculture, Inland fisheries.
- Hence, India’s aquaculture sector, including shrimp exports, remains unaffected.
Small-Scale Fishers: Protects the livelihoods of traditional and small-scale fishers by promoting sustainable fisheries.
Global Fisheries Regime: Disciplines harmful subsidies to large industrial fishing fleets of distant-water fishing nations, promoting a more equitable global fisheries regime.

India’s existing fisheries management framework is already aligned with the objectives of the Agreement through:
- Sustainable Harnessing of Fisheries in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) Rules, 2025.
- Guidelines for Sustainable Harnessing of Fisheries in the High Seas by Indian-Flagged Fishing Vessels, 2025.
- Capacity-building initiatives under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY).

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