Some new ideas by Brazil and Argentina during the Doha round negotiations at the World Trade Organization have left me feeling rather optimistic about the ability of the WTO to actually help address one of the world's biggest environmental problems: global overfishing.
Their proposal is a real attempt by developing countries in the ongoing negotiations about fisheries subsidies to establish some rules to prevent countries from subsidizing their fishing sector without regard to the fish!
The proposal still needs work. But finally, leadership by the developing world to try a find a workable approach to ensure that development keeps the best interest of marine life and habitat in mind while also tending to the needs of people.
Is Bill McKibben right to be angry with Obama?
Rumors of Copenhagen’s demise have been greatly exaggerated
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Sam Wells Posted 5:01 am
11 Oct 2007
As to the US fisheries, I don't think there is much left of the industry. Maine lobsters and Alaska pollock (pacific cod maybe) are about all that's left for sustainable fisheries, and those aren't subsidized in the least. It's rather sad, really. It's getting hard to find even an honest bluecrab anymore.
Onward through the fog
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