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General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean

Discards

Discards often leads to a loss of harvesting opportunities and may have negative impacts on fish stocks, ecosystems and the marine environment.

To address these issues, the GFCM launched several discard monitoring programmes in countries where such data collection was limited or required expansion or standardization. The collection of comparable data supports regional analyses and contributes to the formulation of more comprehensive scientific advice on stock status and fishing activities.

Discards in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea

Discards in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea

GFCM action

  • Strengthen the collection, analysis and use of discard data to support science-based fisheries management and reduce discards
  • Establish and implement a standardized and harmonized framework for discard data collection and monitoring, including onboard observations, landing site questionnaires and self-sampling activities, to ensure common standards and comparability across fisheries and support for regional analyses and scientific advice
  • Characterize and quantify discarding patterns and drivers, including fleet behaviour, the quantity and composition of discarded species, to support stock assessments and sustainable fisheries management
  • Provide training on the application of the standardized methodology and the implementation of discard monitoring programmes at the national level
  • Carry out data collection activities, including sampling design, observer team preparation and equipment procurement
  • Analyse data to identify trends across areas, fishing gear and species subject to discarding and support technical recommendations to reduce discard rates
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