AUTHORS: James Brown

Since 1970 the subsidy regime has evolved significantly. In recognition of the role of subsidies in the build up of overcapacity, and thus overfishing, there has been a shift in focus towards balancing fleet sizes to available fish stocks. This paper considers the drivers behind this evolution. Firstly the history of the subsidy regime is briefly discussed. The following three sections then examine the role of integrated assessments, whole of government decision making and stakeholder involvement; all areas of interest to the work of the OECD. Wider economic and political factors are then discussed before final conclusions are drawn.