by
Ivor Clucas
Visiting Scientist
Fishery Industries Division
FAO Fisheries Department
FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS
Rome, October 1997
The problem of wastage of fish because of discarding at sea has been highlighted in a number of FAO initiatives, including the Fisheries Technical Paper 339 - A Global Assessment of Fisheries Bycatch and Discards and the Technical Consultation on Reduction of Wastage in Fisheries (Tokyo, Japan, 28 October - 1 November 1996). This fisheries circular provides more detailed information on species and quantities of discards and attempts that have been made to utilise bycatch and discards. It is hoped that the information produced and the experiences described will assist in identifying further options for sustainable use of marine fishery resources.
The author would like to thank the various persons in the FAO and elsewhere for their assistance in pointing him in the direction of published literature and reports of interest in this study. In such a dynamic area of interest throughout world fisheries the author is aware that this review is not exhaustive and that new information will no doubt be produced after this document appears in print. Feed back and further detail would therefore be most welcome.
| Clucas, I. A study of the options for utilization of bycatch and discards from marine capture fisheries FAO Fisheries Circular. No. 928. Rome, FAO. 1997. 59p. ABSTRACTFish are discarded for various reasons at sea, representing a waste of fishery resources and potential food. Although the exact quantities wasted might be disputed, the amount of fish wasted through discarding is large. One of the options that is apparent for overcoming the problems of discards in fisheries is that more of the fish should be used for human consumption, assuming that it is consistent with responsible fisheries management practices. This would not only overcome the apparent waste of resources but would also add more valuable fish protein to the food balance of many people. This paper brings together information, on the species and where possible the quantities of fish that are presently discarded. Information on attempts and trends that have been and are being made to make use of these potential discards are used to illustrate the successes and failures which might help to guide further efforts in fuller utilisation of the fish resources. It is apparent that more systematic information is required regarding the quantity and composition of discards in many fisheries. It also seems from past experience that successful use of bycatch is usually market lead and that efforts should continue to assist in identifying suitable marketing and product development opportunities where appropriate. The FAO Fisheries Circular is a vehicle for the distribution of short or ephemeral notes, lists, etc., including provisional versions of documents to be issued later in other series. |
1. INTRODUCTION2. UTILISATION OF BYCATCH AS AN OPTION 5. WHY IS DISCARDING A PROBLEM ?
6. INFLUENCE OF CAPTURE METHOD ON QUALITY AND POSSIBLE SURVIVAL
8. BYCATCH IN SINGLE OR FEW SPECIES FISHERIES
8.1 North East Pacific (Alaska - Bering Sea)
8.2 North West Atlantic (Canada)
8.3 North East Atlantic and North Sea
8.7 Western Pacific Ocean tuna fishery
9. DISCARDS AND BYCATCH IN SHRIMP TRAWL FISHERIES.
9.2 Tropical and subtropical waters
9.3 The early work on tropical shrimp bycatch use
9.4 Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic prawn fisheries of the United States
9.5 Northern Prawn Fishery of Australia
9.8 Preservation before landing
10. GENERAL TRENDS APPARENT IN UTILISATION
11. INCENTIVES AND DISINCENTIVES TO DISCARDING
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1 - Discards of groundfish in the Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands - 1992
Table 2 - 1994 Estimated discards from the Atlantic Canada fisheries
Table 4 - Estimates of discards in the North Sea and North Atlantic
Table 6 - Discards in the South East Atlantic
Table 7 - Partial estimates of discards of some major species in Japan (1994)
Table 8 - Summary of major discards from the various fishery types in Japan
Table 9 - Major discard species in Falkland/Malvinas Islands fisheries
Table 10 - Species found as bycatch in purse seine catches associated with floating objects
Table 11 - Estimated bycatch and discard levels from shrimp fisheries of the world
Table 12 - Top ten species in the landings of the Belgian Nephrops fishery 1993 (tonnes)
Table 14 - Families of fish reported as tropical shrimp trawl discards/bycatch
Table 15 - Top ten species found in Gulf of Mexico shrimp trawl catches
Table 16 - Top ten species found in South Atlantic shrimp trawl catches
Table 17 - Components of the bycatch in the northern prawn fishery retained onboard
Table 18 - Major families of fish discarded in the mixed species fishery in 1988
Table 19 - Fish species preferences of Lates calcarifer brood stock
Table 20 - Main species in the "true trash" component
Table 21 - Main commercial fish species caught as juveniles in the Thai shrimp bycatch
Table 22 - Trash fish in Malaysian shrimp trawls
Table 23 - Major commercial species caught in Malaysian shrimp trawls
Table 24 - Uses for some Malaysian trash fish
Table 25 - Average percentage composition of fish landings - Nov. 1990 to Mar. 1991
Table 26 - Common species in Mozambique bycatch
Table 27 - First grade fish for hotel and restaurant trade in Malagasy bycatch
Table 28 - Second grade fish in Malagasy bycatch
Table 29 - Most frequently observed species in the bycatch in Tanzania
Table 30 - Species in shrimp trawler catch in Gambia
Table 31 - Marketable fish in bycatch in Cameroon
Table 32 - Main species used for human consumption in Cuban bycatch
Table 33 - Species landed and utilised from shrimp bycatch in Suriname