Fisheries and aquaculture regulations are increasingly influenced by preferential trade agreements that extend beyond market access to promote sustainability and responsible practices. As preferential trade agreements evolve beyond tariffs and quotas, non-traditional clauses are reshaping the sector by addressing labor rights, environmental protection, and sustainable development. The inclusion of fisheries-related non-traditional provisions has grown significantly. According to FAO’s Ag-ERP1 database, 164 fisheries provisions were found in 318 agreements analyzed between 1995 and 2022. Similarly, the World Bank’s Deep Trade Agreement Database2 recorded 198 fisheries provisions across 400 agreements from 1958 to 2023.

The rise of these provisions highlights the stronger connection between trade and environmental sustainability, alongside shifting consumer preferences. As a shared global resource, aquatic food production necessitates international cooperation for effective and responsible management. Today, non-traditional clauses emphasize cooperation, transparency, capacity development, and combating IUU fishing, often referencing FAO instruments and multilateral environmental agreements.  This event aims to explore how such non-traditional trade measures can affect market access, promote responsible practices, and support inclusive, science-based policy development for the fisheries and aquaculture sector.