Tonga's First Fisheries Subsidy Notification

The World Trade Organization announced that its Fish Fund enabled Tonga to submit the first-ever fisheries subsidy notification on June 3, 2026, under the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies. This notification, prepared during a workshop in Nuku'alofa, Tonga, is crucial for the developing Pacific region due to its vulnerability to harmful fisheries subsidies. World Trade Organization Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala emphasized transparency as key to the Agreement's benefits. Sione Vailala Matoto, CEO for the Ministry of Fisheries from the government of Tonga, expressed gratitude for the Fish Fund's support in strengthening Tonga's capacity for sustainable fisheries management. The Fish Fund, established under Article 7 of the Agreement, provides technical assistance and capacity-building to developing and least-developed members, operating in cooperation with the Food and Agriculture Organization, the International Fund for Agricultural Development, and the World Bank Group. Contributions to the fund from 18 members, including Australia, Canada, the European Union, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Japan, South Korea, Liechtenstein, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom, have reached over USD 20 million.