Ocean Equity Research

Be careful what you wish (fish) for: Actioning distributive equity principles when determining catch limits in transboundary fisheries

Publication Details

Bianca Haasa b, Rachel Nicholsa c, Kamal Azmia

aAustralian National Centre for Ocean Resources and Security (ANCORS), University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia
bOcean Nexus, Australian National Centre for Ocean Resources and Security (ANCORS), University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia
cCentre for Marine Socioecology, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia

Received 2 March 2025, Revised 5 May 2025, Accepted 5 May 2025, Available online 10 May 2025, Version of Record 10 May 2025.

Abstract

Under the United Nations Fish Stocks Agreement, states are required to ensure that conservation and management measures do not result in a disproportionate burden for developing states when managing transboundary fishery resources. Distributive equity principles, such as the polluter pays principle, are increasingly cited in fisheries negotiations to justify the removal of burdens carried by developing states. Here, we explore how these principles might be applied in fisheries, drawing on literature on climate justice and undertaking a scenario analysis to illustrate how such principles may be operationalised in a fishery context. By using the yellowfin tuna fishery in the Indian Ocean as a case study, we demonstrate that the application of these distributive equity principles might have unintended consequences for developing countries. Overall, we suggest that a combination of different equity principles is needed to reduce disproportionate burdens.

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