bilaterals.org logo
bilaterals.org logo

fisheries | fisherfolk


EU won’t renew special tariff rate for RP canned tuna
The European Union (EU) will not renew a special tariff scheme for canned tuna from the Philippines and two other Southeast Asian countries, offering, instead, increased market access for the product in its 27 member-countries via a free trade agreement, the top EU representative in the Philippines said in a news conference here Wednesday.
Philippine fishers warn against sectoral talks in WTO
A national coalition of 14 fisher federations in the Philippines warned against mandatory "sectoral" talks in the World Trade Organization, saying that it would only benefit rich countries that wanted more market access for their products. On Friday, which was World Fishers Day, about 200 members of Kilusang Mangingisda also picketed the offices of the Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Agriculture and Asian Development Bank to protest against policies promoting fisheries trade liberalization.
Israeli gunboats kidnap Gaza fisherman, peaceworkers
"The EU-Israel Association Agreement should be suspended until Israel complies with international law. It was only last week that I personally met with the fishermen whose boats were illegally water-cannoned and fired upon by Israeli gunboats as they peacefully fish in Gaza waters."
Int’l signature drive vs Jpepa launched in Bangkok
An international signature drive has been launched in Bangkok, Thailand asking the Philippine Senate to recall the ratification of the controversial Japan-Philippine Economic Partnership Agreement (Jpepa).
Int’l signature drive vs Jpepa launched in Bangkok
An international signature drive has been launched in Bangkok, Thailand asking the Philippine Senate to recall the ratification of the controversial Japan-Philippine Economic Partnership Agreement (Jpepa).
Overfishing linked to food crisis, migration
According to a recent report by the nongovernmental organisation ActionAid, West African seas are being devastated by legal and illegal overfishing, while local fishing industries decline. Moreover, the economic partnership agreements in their currently proposed form only exacerbate this problem.
Brussels and Israel. EU agreement reached to liberalise trade in Agricultural and Fishery Products
Negotiators have reached a preliminary agreement to further liberalise trade in agricultural and processed agricultural products and fish and fishery products between the European Union and the State of Israel
Pamalakaya to spearhead ’Jpepa free zone’ campaign
A Filipino fisherfolk alliance is set to lead an across-the-country campaign to oppose the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (Jpepa), which is still pending ratification in the Senate.
Japan trade deal imperils Filipino fishers
Groups opposed to the bilateral economic agreement between Japan and the Philippines expressed fears that its ratification could lead to an inflow of secondhand Japanese ships - similar to the MV Princess of the Stars, a ferry owned by Sulpicio Lines, which sank last month at the height of Typhoon Frank (also known as Typhoon Fengshen).
RP fishers buck EU-ASEAN free trade deal
A group of small-scale fishers in the Philippines is against a free trade deal between the European Union (EU) and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
Group urges Palace to reveal content of RP-US free trade pact
A militant fisher folk group urged Malacañang on Tuesday to disclose the content of the proposed RP-US Free Trade Agreement (FTA), which it said might be the top agenda of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s state visit to the United States next week.
Filipino fishers JPEPA’s biggest losers, says leftwing group
If approved, an estimated 200,000 metric tons of tuna would be fished annually by the Japanese in Philippine waters under the agreement. This would amount to $970 million annual loses for the Philippine fisher folk sector.
Maori divided over free trade deal
Ngai Tahu Seafood, the lucrative fisheries arm of one of the largest Maori tribes, says the Government’s controversial free-trade pact with China is a good deal and will earn the iwi millions of dollars.
EU keen to renegotiate Mauritania fish deal
European Commission experts will head to Mauritania later this week to renegotiate the EU’s most valuable fishing deal with another country. The European Union has signed more than 20 bilateral fishing agreements, nearly all with developing countries and mostly in Africa, that give the EU a substantial extra supply of fish. The deal with Mauritania is the largest and most valuable.
India’s FTA rush: Kerala’s farmers and fishworkers stand to lose
New FTAs such as the EU-India Trade and Investment Agreement, India-Thailand FTA and the ASEAN-India Regional Trade and Investment Area pose threats to the fishing community in Kerala.
Consultations held on India-EU trade pact
Fishermen want 40 varieties in the negative list
Philippine fisherfolks seek international support against Philippine-Japan trade deal
An alliance of Philippines fishermen is trying to protect itself and Philippine waters from being over fished by huge Japanese factory fishing ships.
Philippine Senators ’could reject’ Japan free trade deal
Philippine lawmakers are unlikely to ratify a free trade agreement with Japan in the deal’s present form, the president of the Southeast Asian nation’s Senate said Tuesday.
State’s favourite fish may escape duty-free import net
Oil sardine and mackerel are likely to escape the list of duty-free import from Europe in the Indo-European Union trade and investment agreement, set to be signed late next year. The exemption is a major victory for fish workers.
Kerala to pressurise Centre on including fish in FTA
The Kerala government is anxiously watching the move by the European Union to import 40 varieties of fish to India, as part of the proposed Indo-EU bilateral FTA, as it would adversely affect the state’s traditional fishing sector.