Socio-economic and environmental impact of newly introduced ban on fisheries discard

University of Brighton seed funding supported an investigation of the newly introduced ban on discard in pelagic fisheries. By developing and building partnership with the fisheries, access to boats and discard data can support the establishment of a reputation in informed marine and fishery based research and how the industry could be involved in conservation.

This study had three major objectives: 

> to measure samples of different parts of unwanted catch (former discard) in pelagic fisheries, in terms of species, sizes, numbers; and to estimate by catch levels in relation to location and season
> to record logistics at the fish quay as well as the destination of unwanted catch
> to measure samples of discard in demersal fisheries (species, sizes, numbers) in an attempt to estimate discard levels and discard practices ahead of the January 2016 ban on discard in demersal fisheries.