Here is my position paper when i was attending Indonesian Model United Nations 2011. At that simulation, i was standing as Zambian ambassador that brought Zambia’s stand point at World Trade Organization meeting.
Country : Zambia
Topic Area : Fisheries Subsidies
Committee : World Trade Organization
Zambia is a least-developed country and the economic development also depends on the fisheries. It contributes 1% of Zambian GDP (US$109 million in 2007). Geographically, Zambia does not have any sea surrounds its territory or landlocked. Fishery activities depend on Lake Kariba fishery, Kafue Fishery, and Lake Tanganyika Fishery. All of them are inland water fisheries.
Cause
The policy of giving subsidy to the fishermen triggers a cause the environmental, economy, and social dangers. In today situation, the subsidy is given by the government to the fishermen to do fishing. This subsidy is used by them for any technical practice of fishing, such as fuel. This condition triggers over-activities in fisheries. Over-exploitation of fish in the ocean creates the extinction of some species, disturb the food-chain, unbalanced ecosystem, and the extreme depletion number of fish. In some condition, fishes swim deeper in the ocean to avoid the fishermen which causes the difficulty for fishermen to catch fishes. There are many proposals submitted to the committee and some suggestions have been delivered in the forum. One of the resolution that proposed by the state members that the lifting up of the fisheries subsidies. But this proposal does not provide any alternative if the proposal be approved. This proposal even would trigger worse situation. By the lifting up of the subsidies, it would impact either in the unemployment of fishermen because they cannot afford the expenses to do fishing or the worse over-exploitation of fishes in the ocean to cover the production cost which would be higher.
Policy
The Fisheries Act, No. 21 of 1974 was until recently the principal legal instrument governing development and control of the national fisheries sector. It provided for: authorization and prohibition of specific fishing methods; designation of areas (for recreational, subsistence, research, or commercial fishing); registration of fishers and fishing craft in commercial fishing areas; prohibition of non-native fish introduction to any water, or import of live fish without authorization; and appointment of Fishing Development Committees to coordinate and improve commercial fishing.
In 2007, the Government passed the Fisheries (Amendment) Act of 2007 with the objective to improve the involvement of riparian communities in fisheries management, promote development of the aquaculture sector, and establish a Fisheries Development Fund. The establishment of a Fisheries Development Fund at national level to support the development of the fisheries and aquaculture sector and facilitate a community based approach to fisheries management. The Act further provides for an Aquaculture Development Plan to be prepared every three years to guide the sustainable development of the aquaculture sector. The Plan will identify national sectoral objectives and targets and will specifically describe aquaculture zones, production systems and aquaculture species to be promoted. As part of the Fisheries Act, Government
As part of the Fisheries Act, Government of Zambia further introduced new Aquaculture Regulations in 2007 that establish a National Aquaculture Committee under the Department of Fisheries and comprising representatives across relevant government ministries, private sector and the Environmental Council of Zambia. Specific regulations concern the zoning of aquaculture areas, licensing, environmental protection, control of fish diseases, and the movement, importation and exportation of fish.
Solution
There are two solutions that can be proposed by Zambia regarding on this issue: