About Us
Fish Fund at A Glance
The WTO Fisheries Funding Mechanism Trust Fund, known as the Fish Fund, is a voluntary funding mechanism established to support developing and least-developed country (LDC) WTO Members that have accepted the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies.
These Members can apply for funding to support their implementation of the disciplines under the Agreement.
For further information on the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies, including its full text, please visit the WTO website.
A comprehensive list of WTO Members that have accepted the Agreement can be found here.
Objectives
The main objectives of the Fish Fund are to:
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Provide technical assistance for developing country WTO Members, including LDC Members, for their implementation of the disciplines under the Agreement.
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Coordinate with core partners, including the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the World Bank, and the World Trade Organization (WTO), to leverage relevant expertise, create synergies, fill gaps, and avoid duplication.
Structure
The Fish Fund is operated by the WTO in cooperation with core partners – the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Bank, and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).
The Steering Committee is composed of WTO Members and is the primary
decision-making body of the Fish Fund.
The Steering Committee provides direction for its activities and oversees the
operations and financial management of the Fish Fund, including evaluating and
approving project proposals.
The current Members of the Steering Committee are:
Australia
Barbados
Canada
France
The Gambia
Germany
Haiti
Iceland
Japan
Mauritius
Netherlands
Peru
Philippines
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Spain
The Technical Subcommittee provides expert technical advice and recommendations on
project proposals, ensuring funding decisions are evaluated according to technical
criteria.
Members of the Technical Subcommittee share information about ongoing activities of
Members requesting support in order to leverage efforts, identify synergies, and
prevent duplication.
The core partners form the Technical Subcommittee are the Food and Agriculture
Organization (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the
World Bank, and the World Trade Organization (WTO).
The Secretariat carries out activities, operations, and financial management as directed by the Steering Committee.
The Secretariat is responsible for providing support and assistance to WTO Members in accessing support from the Fish Fund.