The consultation worked under the terms agreed by the twenty-fifth session of the FAO Committee on Fisheries (COFI), which established that attention should be given to a practical mandate to consider the effect of subsidies on fisheries resources, such as effects on illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and overcapacity, taking into account the impact of subsidies on sustainable development, trade in fish and fishery products, food security, social security and poverty alleviation, especially in the context of recognizing the special needs of developing countries and Small Islands Developing States as recognized in international instruments.

The consultation reviewed an FAO guide for identifying, assessing and reporting on subsidies. It recommended that FAO support Members in undertaking studies based on the guide. The experts considered it important that available methodologies be used to assess impacts flowing from actions taken by recipients of subsidies on environment, trade, economic growth and social conditions.

This publication contains detailed and practical guidance for fisheries professionals on identification, assessment and reporting of subsidies in the fisheries sector, covering the following topics: planning and preparation for a fishery subsidies study; definitions and categories of subsidies; assessment methods and measurement factors; comparative analysis; costs and earnings analyses, taking into account the impact on industry profits; and reporting issues.

The Consultation defined four sets of subsidies and recommended that these " Sets of subsidies" be referred to in future discussions and analysis of subsidies. The experts concluded that empirical knowledge of impact is extremely weak. This is true both in respect of impact on trade and impact on fishery resources. The Consultation identified priorities for further research about the impact of subsidies. In respect of impact on fishery resources, priority for future study was given for the following categories : "capital expansion", "tax waivers and deferrals" and "price support". With respect to impact on trade, the experts assigned priorities to future study of actions that would "reduce the relative price of inputs" and "reduce fishing effort" and to management and regulatory actions. The experts also discussed the methods that would be best suited to carry out these studies.

The twenty-sixth session of the Committee on Fisheries (COFI) was held in Rome, Italy, from 7 to 11 March 2005. The Committee reviewed the issues of an international character and the programme of work of the FAO Fisheries Department in fisheries and aquaculture. The Committee commended FAO on its report on the implementation of the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries and its associated instruments and called for a "decade of implementation" of the various instruments developed to ensure responsible fisheries. The Committee called upon Members to accept, ratify or accede to, as appropriate, these instruments. The Committee encouraged FAO to elaborate additional guidelines in support of the Code, including one for the implementation of the International Plan of Action for the Management of Fishing Capacity. The need to initiate international negotiations on the monitoring of fishing vessels within the framework of the Code of Conduct concerning its implementation was underlined. The Committee welcomed the revised Code and Voluntary Guidelines for the Design, Construction and Equipment of Small Fishing Vessels that had been prepared by FAO, the International Labour Organization and the International Maritime Organization. The Committee expressed concern at the proliferation of international fora addressing fisheries matters, some of which lacked sound technical and scientific bases for discussion. The FAO's medium- to long-term rehabilitation strategy for the fisheries and aquaculture sector in countries affected by the Tsunami was endorsed. Guidelines on ecolabelling of fish and fishery products were adopted. The Committee agreed to give greater attention to small-scale fisheries and to allocate more resources in their support. The Committee expressed its appreciation to FAO and donor countries for giving greater attention to small-scale fisheries and for allocating more resources in their support. It welcomed the advance version of the Code of Conduct Guidelines on Enhancing the Contribution of Small-Scale Fisheries to Poverty Alleviation and Food Security. The Committee stressed that COFI and FAO should continue to provide leadership and maintain an assertive role in fisheries. The Committee commended FAO for the improvements made in the presentation of the Medium Term Plan and Preliminary Programme of Work Proposals for 2006-2007. The Committee underlined that additional allotments should be made to the Major Programme 2.3 "Fisheries". Book jacket.

The papers comprise background information and discussion guidelines by the FAO Secretariat; a thorough and exhaustive review of the concepts that have been used to define fishery subsidies; a review of the published assessment of the public sector subsidies to the fishery sector and their impact on trade of fish and fish products and fishery resource sustainability; and a review of methodologies used to assess the trade-distorting impact of subsidies to the fishery sector.

The meeting included representatives from the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation Council, the Association of Southeast-Asian Nations, the Caribbean Community Secretariat, the Food and Agriculture Organization, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the Permanent Commission for the South Pacific, the United Nations Environment Programme, the World Trade Organization. It discussed current work programmes on subsidies in fisheries and methodologies used to establish the effects and impacts of subsidies.