On 02 July 2026, the World Trade Organization (WTO) announced that the WTO Fish Fund (Fund) would provide grants to an additional 17 developing and least-developed countries (LDCs) WTO members to help them implement the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies, as approved by the WTO Fish Fund Steering Committee at its seventh meeting held on 02 and 03 July 2026. The new grants, totalling nearly U$2.2 million, were approved under the Fund’s second Call for Proposals, which closed on 08 May 2026.
The newly approved projects will help beneficiary members to implement the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies by conducting needs assessments, improving reporting procedures, enhancing data collection and strengthening regulatory frameworks. With this second round of approvals, more than 40 WTO members are now benefiting from Fish Fund support.
The steering committee also reviewed progress on the first Call for Proposals, following which 26 grants, totalling nearly U$2.9 million, were approved. Most of these projects are already being implemented.
In her opening remarks, the WTO Deputy Director-General (DDG) highlighted the progress achieved so far: “In under ten months, the Fund’s grants are now delivering results across the world - the Caribbean, South and Central America, Africa, Asia, the Middle East and the Pacific. I find that quite an achievement. Several of the preparation grants are still under way. As they mature, they will lead to a further set of projects to help implementing members give practical effect to the disciplines of the agreement.”
The steering committee also endorsed recommendations for implementing the agreement, including the needs assessments required for Category 2 proposals and ensuring that the fund’s assistance is targeted and aligned with its mandate and the agreement’s disciplines.
Members also recognised the contributions made by the fund’s core partners - the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the World Bank Group (WBG) and the WTO - and in particular their role in the technical assessment of project proposals.
Highlighting that “Committee discussions demonstrated that the fund is moving confidently from establishment to full-scale implementation”, the co-chairs of the steering committee, Peru and Australia, underscored “the positive collaboration of the committee and its shared commitment to building a fund that is effective, transparent, responsive and capable of delivering meaningful and lasting results for developing and least-developed members.” They also noted: “These efforts are making a vital contribution to supporting implementation of the agreement and preserving the sustainability of global marine fisheries.”(WBG)
The steering committee agreed to launch a third Call for Proposals in the first quarter of 2027.
About the Fish Fund
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 countries. LDC members implement the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies. Housed at the WTO, the fund operates in cooperation with FAO, IFAD and the WBG.
To date, total contributions and commitments to the WTO “Fish Fund” from 18 WTO members have reached nearly CHF15.9 million, equivalent to approximately U$20 million. The contributing members are Australia, Canada, the European Union (EU), Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Japan, Liechtenstein, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the United Kingdom (UK).
Resources
- More information on the Fish Fund is accessible at:
- Category 2 proposals
- The Fish Fund was established under Article 7
https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/rulesneg_e/fish_e/fish_factsheet_e.pdf