First, the apparent stalemate in earlier, more ambitious, negotiations has meant proposals for text require a lowest common denominator approach to achieve consensus. Second, in the broader context of a largely stalled Doha Round, fisheries subsidies were always contingent on a measure of horse-trading among dominant members over other agreements. Third, the rest of the world has not remained still: disciplines have and are being developed in other fora, such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).