Opportunities and Challenges for Intra-ACP Trade in Fish and Fish Products

The relationship between ACP and the EU has taken on a new dimension. In the past, as far as trade was concerned, preferential access to EU markets for fish and fish products from the ACP member countries was a fundamental and important competitive advantage given to ACP producers. However, as a result of a general global liberalisation of trade in non-agricultural products, which includes fish and fish products, average import duties on fish have come down substantially.

This study attempts to address a fundamental fish trade policy question for the ACP: how to respond to this development, beyond negotiating for longer implementation times or special mechanisms for compensation. One such policy option is market diversification: this study therefore analyses the prospects of expanding intra-ACP trade in fish and fish products.

Martin Tsamenyi is Professor of Law and Director of The Australian National Centre for Ocean Resources and Security (ANCORS), University of Wollongong, NSW, Australia.

Alistair McIlgorm is Professor of Economics at ANCORS. Research assistance provided by Mary Ann Palma, Lowell Bautista and Ben Milligan is acknowledged.

The opinions expressed in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Commonwealth Secretariat or its member governments.