Seafish warning: Asean-China FTA to offset gains in WTO negotiations

The Southeast Asian Fish for Justice Network (SEAFish) has warned that efforts to shield the Philippine fisheries sector in the negotiations at the non-agricultural market access (NAMA) agreement of the World Trade Organization (WTO) is being negated by the country’s commitments in the ASEAN-China Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

SEAFish, a network of 14 fisheries organizations from five countries, said during the recent 14th meeting of the ASEAN sectoral working group on fisheries (ASWGFi) that the ASEAN-China FTA would eliminate tariffs of farm and fishery products by 2018.

"The Philippines’ neglect to push the fisheries agenda in the ASWGFi undermines it gains in the WTO negotiations," said Arsenio Tanchuling, SEAFish spokesperson.

He said that in the recent ASWGFi meeting, nothing was mentioned about the basic concerns of the fisheries sector such as the exclusion of artisanal or small-scale fisheries from any trade negotiations as well the establishment of policies to protect the 87 sensitive fishery products, most of which are small pelagic species caught by artisanal fishers in the region.

"While negotiations were up for a formula that would exempt products from stiff tariff cuts imposed by the WTO, President Arroyo has already removed the tariffs in many of the country’s products, including more than 100 fishery tariff lines, when she adopted the ASEAN-China Early Harvest Program through Executive Order 485," Tanchuling said.

"Even big industry players such as the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Federation of Philippine Industries and Philexport are already pushing for the exclusion of 10 percent of the total 5,060 tariff lines covered by NAMA. However, negotiators neglected to protect local industries in the ASEAN-China deal," he added.

China is a leading exporter of mackerel and sardines which would threaten similar products of artisanal fishers in the region.

"Even if WTO excludes artisanal fisheries or accedes to the 10 percent exclusion list proposition, the prospects for developing the artisanal fisheries of Southeast Asian countries, not to mention protecting the livelihood of an estimated 20 million to 35 million artisanal fishers in the region, are dimmed by the loss of protection under the ASEAN-China trade deal," he said.

He added that the Philippine government, along with other ASEAN governments, should start reviewing and re-negotiating its trade deal with China if it seeks real protection of its fisheries sector.