Australia contributes an additional AUD 2 million to WTO Fish Fund
The government of Australia has committed an additional AUD 2 million (approximately CHF 1.2 million) to the WTO Fisheries Funding Mechanism, known as the Fish Fund, to assist developing and least-developed members in implementing the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies. This contribution builds on Australia's earlier contribution of AUD 2 million in May 2023.
The Fish Fund is fully operational and provides support through grants for technical assistance and capacity-building needed to implement the obligations and disciplines contained in the Agreement. In November 2025, the Fish Fund Steering Committee approved 26 requests for project grants following the first Call for Proposals, totalling USD 2.9 million. More information on the approved grants can be found here.
On 2 February 2026, the Fund launched its second Call for Proposals inviting eligible members that have deposited instruments of acceptance of the Agreement with the WTO to submit requests for project grants. Eligible WTO members can submit proposals until 24 April 2026 via the application portal, which can be found here.
All developing and least-developed WTO members that have deposited their instruments of acceptance are eligible to benefit from support from the Fish Fund.
Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said: "We are deeply grateful for Australia's continued partnership with the Fish Fund. This additional contribution is a testament to Australia's commitment to putting in place the multilateral support needed for the Agreement to deliver the greatest possible sustainability gains."
The Hon Matt Thistlethwaite MP, Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, said: "Australia is proud to continue its support for the Fish Fund. Sustainable fisheries management is a shared responsibility, and this contribution reflects Australia's commitment to ensuring that developing and least-developed country members have the tools and resources needed to implement the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies effectively."
Following the deposit of instruments of acceptance by Paraguay, Samoa, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines on 26 March, 119 WTO members have formally accepted the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies.
The Fish Fund was established under Article 7 of the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies to provide targeted technical assistance and capacity-building to help developing and least-developed country members implement the Agreement. Housed at the WTO, the Fund operates in cooperation with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the World Bank Group.
To date, total contributions, commitments and pledges to the WTO Fish Fund from 18 members have reached CHF 15.7 million, equivalent to more than USD 20 million. The contributing members are Australia, Canada, the European Union, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Liechtenstein, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom.
More information on the Fish Fund is available here. A brochure explaining the objectives and benefits of the Agreement can be accessed here.
