The future of global fisheries—which provide 1 in 10 jobs and primary protein for 3.2 billion people—is at risk (1–3). Each year, US$22 billion in harmful subsidies incentivize overfishing that depletes fish stocks—a third of which are now exploited beyond sustainable amounts—undermining marine ecosystems and the livelihoods of coastal communities (4–6). After nearly 25 years of negotiations, the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies (known as Fish 1) entered into force in September 2025 (7). It is the first binding, multilateral treaty on ocean sustainability that prohibits subsidies to vessels that engage in illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing; fishing of overfished stocks; and fishing in the unregulated parts of the high seas (7). The agreement has the potential to protect vulnerable fisheries, but additional action is required to ensure its effectiveness.
