Fishing subsidies should be banned to make global trade more equitable and prevent overfishing of already depleted high-sea stocks, the United States told World Trade Organization members on Tuesday. Some 2.6 billion people around the world depend on fish for their food, and millions of livelihoods in the fishing industry are under threat if no action is taken. The US proposal would prohibit all trade-distorting subsidies but make exceptions for poorer countries and research purposes. Environmental groups have backed the proposal, saying it provides an opportunity to save global fish stocks from collapsing. But Korea and Taiwan opposed a blanket ban on fisheries subsidies, while Japan and the EU expressed reservations about certain aspects of the proposal. See "U.S. calls for cuts in fishing subsidies," John Zarocostas, International Herald Tribune, 5/1/07.