209 Sparholt

Characteristics of Baltic fisheries in relation to discards : 

Characteristics of Baltic fisheries in relation to discards Illstration: "Water" by Giuseppe Arcimboldo (1527–1593). The Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna. By Henrik Sparholt ICES

WHY? : 

WHY? Waste of resources Impact on the environment Compromises TAC & quota

Discards categories : 

Discards categories underwater‘ discards during the fishing process; ghostfishing‘ caused by gear that is lost, but continues to fish; boat-based‘ discards resulting from fisher‘s behavior after the catch is brought on board; seal-damaged‘ discards.

World’s discarding : 

World’s discarding Pauly et al 2002. Nature 418

Globally a good development : 

Globally a good development FAO 1994 : 27 million t FAO 1998: 20 million t FAO 2005: 7 million t

Many reasons for this decline : 

Many reasons for this decline greater utilization of bycatch species (aquaculture) more selective fishing technologies and methods declining intensity of fishing for some species having high bycatch rates a variety of management actions that prohibit discarding in some countries set bycatch quotas, impose time/area closures, and establish marine protected areas and no trawl zones more progressive attitudes by fishery managers, user groups and society towards the need to solve discarding problems.

Boat-based discarding – Baltic : 

Boat-based discarding – Baltic Undersized fish High-grading No quota Protected seasons – e.g. plaice Fish damaged by seals – e.g. Salmon No market Dioxin

Baltic discards : 

Baltic discards No overall figure available Difficult to monitor Observers on vessels – coverage improving Data compilation in progress

Discards in the Baltic A 2010 study – not yet reviewed – - include underwater discards : 

Discards in the Baltic A 2010 study – not yet reviewed – - include underwater discards Zeller, D., Booth, S., Bale, S., Rossing, P., Harper, S., and Pauly, D. (2010) Fisheries catches from the Baltic Sea Large Marine Ecosystem: 1950-2007. pp. 7-38. In: Rossing, P., Booth, S., and Zeller, D. (eds.), Total marine fisheries extractions by country in the Baltic Sea: 1950-present. Fisheries Centre Research Reports 18 (1). Fisheries Centre, University of British Columbia, Canada [ISSN 1198-6727].

Herring meshing : 

Herring meshing

Total Baltic catchSame study : 

Total Baltic catchSame study

Discards by fishery: : 

Discards by fishery: Cod trawl – most problems here Cod gill nets – flatfish, high-grading cod Herring/sprat trawls – almost no discards

Danish discard study : 

Danish discard study Discards in weight in 2004: Demersal trawls 19% Danish Seiners 20% Gillnets 7% Working document on discards in the Danish fishery. FVM March 2006

Danish discard study : 

Danish discard study Discards in weight in 2004: Flounder 1905 t Cod 1561 t Plaice 493 t Dab 391 t Whiting 92 t Rays 29 t Other fish 150 t Working document on discards in the Danish fishery. FVM March 2006

Garthe, S., and Scherp, B. 2003. Utilization of discards and offal from commercial fisheriesby seabirds in the Baltic Sea. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 60: 980–989. : 

Garthe, S., and Scherp, B. 2003. Utilization of discards and offal from commercial fisheriesby seabirds in the Baltic Sea. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 60: 980–989.

Cod west : 

Cod west

Further back in time Cod west : 

Further back in time Cod west

Area hot spots : 

Area hot spots Cod discards high in coastal areas with many juvenile cod. Poorly ducumented where these are found but typically within the 12 nm zone

Bacoma window : 

Bacoma window

An 8 m long square mesh side panel codend : 

An 8 m long square mesh side panel codend

Cod east : 

Cod east

Salmon : 

Salmon

Conclusion : 

Conclusion Uncertain information about the amounts Difficult to monitor – but progress Mostly a problem for cod Mostly a problem for demersal trawls Generally a decreasing trend globally and maybe also for the Baltic Probably a constant struggle on many fronts to keep discarding low

Thanks for listening : 

Thanks for listening