Bycatch Management and the Economics of Discarding

Contents: Executive summary. I. Introduction. II. Bycatch and discarding - an overview of the problem: 1. Definitions and concepts. 2. Magnitude of discarding. 3. Impact of discards. 4. Chapter summary. III. Fisheries management and the economics of discarding: 1. Bycatch and technical interactions in an unregulated fishery. 2. Discarding of commercial species in an unregulated multispecies fishery. 3. Input controls. 4. Output controls. 5. Chapter summary. IV. Optimal discarding and externalities: 1. Externalities and discarding. 2. Economically optimal levels of discarding. 3. Estimation of the optimal level of discarding. 4. Chapter summary. V. Management measures to reduce discarding: 1. Technical measures. 2. Administrative measures. 3. Economic measures. 4. Chapter summary. 6. Conclusions. References.

"The increase in commercial fisheries production over the last 50 years has been accompanied by an increase in the level of incidental catch and discarding of a number of species. Approximately one-quarter of the marine commercial catch destined for human consumption is discarded at sea. This has aroused the concern of a number of groups in society, including environmentalists, humanitarians and fisheries themselves. This paper examines the economic incentives to discard fish as well as the effects of different management policies on these incentives. The concept of an optimal level of discarding of discussed taking into account the externalities that can be created by discarding. Finally, the paper reviews the effectiveness of various measures--technical, administrative and economic--to reduce the level of discarding."