This Study, which the OECD’s Committee for Fisheries undertook as part of its 2000- 2002 Programme of Work, provides a description of the trends in world fisheries trade and resource situation. The Study also provides an overview of the trade and market policy instruments that are applied to the trade in fish and fish products by OECD countries. Furthermore the Study analyses the likely outcomes of market liberalisation in the fishery sector and discusses the effects of market liberalisation on trade and on resources...

This chapter brings together a number of discrete elements on the study of market liberalisation and forms a synthesis. First, this chapter highlights the Committee’s work on trends in trade and resources as well as the inventories of market policy instruments in place in OECD countries. A description of the analytical and methodological framework developed for the study follows. Finally, the chapter links the framework to the observed resource and market policy situation and provides the Committee for Fisheries’ observations on the work, conclusions that emanate from the analysis and suggestions for future work...

This chapter examines major market and resource trends of some species selected for their relative importance in international trade and their importance for OECD countries. The species and products covered in this chapter are groundfish (cod, hake, haddock, Alaska pollock, orange roughy and hoki), tuna, small pelagic fish (herring, mackerel, and sardine/pilchard), salmon, shrimp, cephalopods (octopus, squid and cuttlefish), fishmeal and oil. The chapter also identifies major producing countries, trade flows, changes of processing forms and final consumption. The analysis covers both OECD countries and important non- OECD ones...

This chapter seeks to assess the extent of use of market intervention policies among OECD countries and identifies key issues arising from such policy interventions in the fisheries sector. The purpose of the chapter is to provide readers with higher levels of transparency on policies relating to tariff and non-tariff measures, government financial transfers, and other measures (technical import requirements, sanitary and hygiene requirements, access to ports, service and investment restrictions) as well as an overview of their application and their relative importance for fisheries markets. The information is primarily based on input from OECD countries...

This chapter consists of three major sections that contributes to the development of a theoretical framework for understanding the linkages between market liberalisation and its effects on markets and resources. The first explores the possibilities for supply responses due to market liberalisation in the following specific areas i.e. aquaculture, high seas fisheries, fisheries operating in third countries under bilateral access agreements and under-exploited fisheries with development potential. Empirical evidence as to the possibility for a supply response is provided. The second section examines effects of liberalising trade in fish, fishing services and investment in fishing vessels. It offers the crucial insights that the direction and magnitude of trade, and resource impacts, from policy changes will be determined by the possibility of supply responses in the sector. The last section discusses the effect of various trade and industry support measures on the supply of fish under specific regimes i.e. (i) aquaculture, (ii) shared stocks and high seas fisheries, (iii) fisheries under bilateral agreements, (iv) under-exploited fisheries and (v) multi-species fisheries. The key outcome of this section is the finding that the effects of market liberalisation in capture fisheries is a product of the level of stock exploitation combined with the fisheries management system...

This chapter provides information on the national situation with regard to trade and market related policies. The chapter is a compilation of national contributions each organised as follows: (i) major markets, products and trade flows, (ii) inventory of tariff and non-tariff measures, (iii) other measures and policy instruments relevant to fisheries...

This chapter provides an overview of the OECD Code of Liberalisation of Capital Movements and an inventory of national situations with regard to investment and service restrictions in the fisheries sector. The chapter also contains information on national laws and regulations pertaining to domestic conditions for exercising an occupation in the fisheries sector. Such conditions may be relevant for investments in the sector...

This chapter provides four case studies submitted by Member countries and a paper by the WTO Secretariat relevant to the Study. It includes studies on (i) impacts of market liberalisation on tuna resources, (ii) the economy of flags-of-convenience tuna fishing vessel, (iii) analysis of factors determining the decreasing trends of bigeye tuna resources in the Indian Ocean and (iv) Spanish experience on the use of non tariff measures. The paper submitted by the WTO Secretariat provides a history of tariff negotiations and deals with definitions of tariffs and aspects of tariff reduction formulas...