Lake Geneva is no ocean – but what the WTO decides has massive impacts on what happens to our oceans. Basically, the WTO wants to run the whole world like the high seas. It stands for less regulation – less rules that ensure survival for our last fish.
Further liberalization steps threaten to undermine the ability of countries to take regulatory measures against unsustainable practices in our oceans. When fish get imported, countries charge something for this import. That’s called a tariff. The WTO wants to get rid of these tariffs. The catch: Tariff reductions lead to cheaper products, which increases the demand for them. As long as this demand is met by unsustainable and often illegal fishing activities, stocks will continue to dwindle. Not nice.

So, next Tuesday, I will be inside the pretty WTO building in Switzerland. I will host a session and try to explain to the trade bureaucrats of this world, that they got it all wrong. Well, somebody's got to do it. If you want to learn more on why, read this report, The Nama Drama.