The evolution of a discard policy in Europe

Abstract

Ocean sustainability is a widespread public concern in Europe, and the issue of fisheries discards is one that is now widely known. With this increase in public awareness comes the need to adapt fisheries management policies to manage issues like fisheries discards that were not previously taken into account. In this context, this study analyses the evolution of the European Union's discard policy since its inception in 2006 until the present day and the events that shaped its current format. It analyses the policy's advantages and disadvantages, and its political, environmental and scientific consequences. It argues that an increase in public awareness, due to public campaigns against fisheries discards, has focused managers' attention onto a symptom of fisheries mismanagement, rather than on its underlying causes of over‐exploitation and lack of fisheries control. This has distorted the discussion of the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy and potentially undermined its provisions relating to discards.

Effects on the Escapement of Juvenile Bastard Halibut Paralichthys olivaceus of Actively Stimulating Devices Inside a Model Cod End

“…A square-mesh window in the cod end had been investigated as a means of reducing the bycatch of flatfish, as well as most roundfish (Fonteyne and M'Rabet, 1992;Madsen et al, 2006), and has been adopted as selective regulation in many European countries (Borges, 2009). Several trials have been conducted to examine the effectiveness of separating the net panels (Horie et al, 2001;Miyajima et al, 2007) and placing black canvas on the cod end to replicate predator effects (Glass and Wardle, 1995).…”

Mixed fisheries management: Is the ban on discarding likely to promote more selective and fuel efficient fishing in the Dutch flatfish fishery?

“…To obtain catch rates representative for the current situation, the predictions are rescaled to the values of the spawning stock biomass (SSB) of 2004-2013(ICES, 2013, multiplying the historical catch rates by the ratio of the SSB estimates in the two periods.…”

“…Feekings et al (2012, Borges (2013), Heath et al (2014), andSardà et al (2015) have argued to conduct more research on the effectiveness and consequences of the discard ban. Our study showed that a discard ban could stimulate the use of more selective gear.…”

“…In response to the societal concerns about discarding, the 2013 reform of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) (Regulation (EU) 1380/2013) of the European Union (EU) includes a discard ban for quota-regulated species that are not covered under the prohibited species list (Article 15, Regulation (EU) 1380/2013) (Borges, 2013). This discard ban aims at stopping discarding for commercially valuable species, much like in other countries such as Norway (Diamond and Beukers-Stewart, 2011), Iceland (Arnason, 1995) and NewZealand (Annala,1996).…”

Fisheries Exploitation by Albatross Quantified With Lipid Analysis

“…This recently adopted approach prompted the initiation of largescale reform to fisheries management and policies, such as the proposed discard ban advocated by the European Commission (Borges, 2015). Wide support of such policy reflects the scientific consensus that modern industrial fishery practices have substantially diminished biodiversity and ecosystem integrity on a global scale (Pauly, 2002;Ormerod, 2003;Worm and Myers, 2003;Pauly et al, 2005;Ainley and Blight, 2009).…”