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Key services and infrastructure associated with discard reduction and bycatch utilization or preventing food loss and waste (FLW) include:

• Fishing gear makers and suppliers
• Fisheries management organizations
• Producer organizations
• Fisheries inspection services
• Fish meal manufacturers
• Research and development services to support selective gear design, by-product utilization and data collection

Understanding the problems and developing effective bycatch reduction strategies is a complex, environmental challenge with scientific, socio-cultural, and socio-economic components. In recent years, bycatch research has broadened greatly advancing our knowledge of the species affected, the magnitude and the spatial extent of bycatch. Concurrently, there have been substantial advances in the development of mitigation strategies. These achievements represent significant progress, yet some critical knowledge gaps and the need for innovation remains.

Consideration should be given by States, international financial institutions and relevant IGOs to enhance the capacity of developing States to manage bycatch and reduce discards in their fisheries. This can be accomplished through financial and technical assistance, such as research, data collection, development of socio-economic studies on bycatch management and discard reduction, technology transfer training and scientific cooperation, in conformity with international law and the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries.

For example, according to Marine Scotland, fish below minimum conservation size (MCRS) which are landed must not be sold for direct human consumption. However, they can be sold for other uses including: bait, fishmeal and cosmetics.