WTO countries are currently negotiating an agreement on the elimination of subsidies for illegal fishing.
Joe Biden's government announced Wednesday that it has sent a new proposal to the WTO to combat forced labor on fishing vessels.
In its proposal, the United States "urges WTO member countries to reduce harmful subsidies to fishing activities that could be associated with illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing," the Office of the Representative said in a statement. of Foreign Trade (USTR).
WTO countries are currently negotiating an agreement on the elimination of subsidies for illegal fishing.
"Forced labor harms the lives of fishermen and workers around the world and must be eliminated," Trade Representative Katherine Tai said in the statement.
In addition to the human cost involved, "forced labor gives fishing vessels that develop this practice an unfair commercial advantage" and also exacerbates "overfishing and depletion of the oceans," he added.
