The subsidies can be of crucial importance as a support to commercial fishing, keeping crew and boat owners in business when fish price drops— thereby preserving local fishing capacity when the vagaries of the market undermine otherwise viable operations. They can serve vital food security objectives, such as by offering people living in remote and/or rural areas small support that allows fishing boats to operate to provide fish atthe level of the household and local community. However, well-organised boat owners can put political pressure on a government to maintain a support programme even when profitability has returned.