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Trade Agreements and Sustainable Fisheries
[Accords commerciaux et pêche durable]

Author

Listed:
  • Basak Bayramoglu

    (UMR PSAE - Paris-Saclay Applied Economics - AgroParisTech - Université Paris-Saclay - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement)

  • Estelle Gozlan

    (UMR PSAE - Paris-Saclay Applied Economics - AgroParisTech - Université Paris-Saclay - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement)

  • Clément Nedoncelle

    (BETA - Bureau d'Économie Théorique et Appliquée - AgroParisTech - UNISTRA - Université de Strasbourg - Université de Haute-Alsace (UHA) - Université de Haute-Alsace (UHA) Mulhouse - Colmar - UL - Université de Lorraine - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement)

  • Thibaut Tarabbia

    (ENPC - École nationale des ponts et chaussées, PSE - Paris School of Economics - UP1 - Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne - ENS-PSL - École normale supérieure - Paris - PSL - Université Paris Sciences et Lettres - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement - ENPC - École nationale des ponts et chaussées - IP Paris - Institut Polytechnique de Paris)

Abstract

This study examines the impact of trade agreements and their specific provisions on the sustain- ability of marine fisheries resources. Using global data on the Mean Trophic Level (MTL) between 1950 and 2018 and a comprehensive dataset of environmental provisions from trade agreements signed between 1947 and 2018, we estimate the impact on the MTL of signing (i) a free trade agreement and (ii) a free trade agreement including fishery-related provisions. To address potential endogeneity problems associated with fisheries-related provisions, we use a difference-in-differences (DID) propensity score matching method. Our results show that while trade agreements tend to negatively impact the MTL, including fisheries-related provisions offsets this negative impact among signatory countries. By examining the potential mechanisms underlying this result, we are able to temper the optimistic findings in the existing literature on the beneficial environmental outcomes of environmental provisions. Our findings suggest that these provisions do not foster the adoption of more effective resource management practices. Instead, they appear to reduce trade opportunities, which is contrary to the objective of trade creation in trade agreements.

Suggested Citation

  • Basak Bayramoglu & Estelle Gozlan & Clément Nedoncelle & Thibaut Tarabbia, 2025. "Trade Agreements and Sustainable Fisheries [Accords commerciaux et pêche durable]," Working Papers hal-04101044, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:wpaper:hal-04101044
    Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://hal.inrae.fr/hal-04101044v5
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    JEL classification:

    • F18 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Trade and Environment
    • Q22 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Renewable Resources and Conservation - - - Fishery

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