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Med Bycatch

Understanding and addressing bycatch: key steps for sustainable fisheries

Year of publication 2019

Place of publication Rome, Italy ;

Pages 4p.

Author GFCM, ACCOBAMS, FAO, SPA/RAC, IUCN-Med, Birdlife International, MEDASSET

Publisher ACCOBAMS, FAO, SPA/RAC, IUCN, Birdlife International and MEDASSET ;

Product type Brochure, flyer, fact-sheet

Edition 1

Synopsis (short abstract) The joint project, “Understanding Mediterranean multi-taxa bycatch of vulnerable species and testing mitigation: a collaborative approach” (the Med bycatch project) is a partnership between the Agreement on the Conservation of Cetaceans of the Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea and contiguous Atlantic area (ACCOBAMS), the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Specially Protected Areas Regional Activity Centre (SPA/RAC) of the United Nations Environment Programme/Mediterranean Action Plan (UN Environment/MAP), the International Union for Conservation of Nature – Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation (IUCN-Med), BirdLife International (BLI) and the Mediterranean Association to Save the Sea Turtles (MEDASSET). Over a three-year period (2017–2020), project implementation involves field multi-taxa observation programmes (on-board, at landing site and through self-sampling) across different fishing gear (i.e. bottom trawls, gillnets and demersal longlines), together with training, awareness raising, and identification and testing of mitigation techniques. The Med bycatch leaflet provides a quick overview of project objectives and areas of implementation, and aims at promoting the project’s work and raise awareness about how reducing bycatch can contribute to increasing the profitability and sustainability of fisheries, as well as uphold wider marine biodiversity and the conservation and welfare of marine species.

Statutory body / Meeting title General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM)

Language English

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