Financial support to fisheries: Implications for sustainable development

All OECD countries provide some form of financial suport to their fisheries sectors. The type and level of support varies significantly between countries and takes the form of either general support, such as the provision of management, research and enforcement services, or more targeted direct support, such as payments for vessel construction and modernisation, income support, tax exemptions and loan guarantees. To a greater or lesser extent, all forms of support have an impact on key aspects of the fisheries sector.

The purpose of this report is to explore the range of economic, environmental and social effects of financial support to the fisheries sector in OECD countries. Given that OECD countries provide support to the sector to meet a range of eocnomic, environmental and social objectives, such a holistic approach will provide greater insight into the efficacy of different types of support in meeting policy objectives, identify actual and potential areas of policy incoherence, and highlight any trade-offs that may need to be undertaken in addressing policy goals.

The main focus of the publication follows in the Executive Summary.