2nd Meeting of the MariFish Bycatch and Discards Scientific Committee Madrid, 5-6th October 2009

1. Work Package 7: Collaborative Research Programmes Thematic programme: Reducing discards WP8 joint call update: The BADMINTON project Vassiliki Vassilopoulou Hellenic Centre for Marine Research 2nd Meeting of the MariFish Bycatch and Discards Scientific Committee Madrid, 5-6th October 2009

2. BADMINTON (Bycatch And Discards: Management INdicators, Trends and locatiON)involves research teams from 7 countries: • Denmark (IFM & DTU-AQUA) • France (IFREMER scientific coordination) • Greece (HCMR administrative coordination) • Iceland (MATIS) • the Netherlands (IMARES) • Spain (IEO) • UK (Cefas) Total funding granted from the MariFish Common Pot: 1,021,569 €

3. Project Aims • Develop the knowledge of discarding patterns and factors in European fisheries • Evaluate the efficacy of selective devices and other discard management measures that have been implemented in the past. • Improve methods to analyse, monitor, and manage bycatch and discarding in European fisheries.

4. Project Objectives • to quantify and analyse spatial and temporal distribution of discards from selected EU fleets • to develop operational indicators for state (discard amounts & characteristics), pressure(selectivity of fishing) and management response • to investigate important factors (ecological, socio-economic, technical)that determine discard amounts • to compare alternative management strategies aimed at reducing discards in mixed species fisheries and suggest mitigation measures

6. WP1: Descriptive analysis of discards and total catch in European waters Leader: IMARES Objective 1: Description of the observed species and size composition in the landings and discards & estimation of total catch and discard numbers by species for the different fleets and areas with the associated estimation uncertainties. The performance of simple and ratio-estimators and of different raising metrics (e.g. trip numbers, fishing days, total or target-species landings) will be compared between fisheries/countries. The precision of estimates by quarter and/or length class will be examined, as well as the sampling effort required to meet the DCR objectives. → Data for identified fleets that have the best reliability will be used (good quality DCR data); this may also help identify which data is required to conduct meaningful analyses → The method will build on tools developed under the EU COST project

7. WP1: Descriptive analysis of discards and total catch in European waters Leader: IMARES Objective 2: Quantification of spatial and temporal patterns in discards A statistical framework for estimating spatial and temporal discards patterns will be developed using Generalized Additive Mixed Models; discard estimates will be extrapolated over space and time, using total fleet fishing effort → The analyses in WP1 will be formulated in a common statistical framework (R) to allow easy adaptation within the consortium. → The outcomes of WP1 will be inputs to the subsequent analyses performed in WP2-5.

8. WP1: Descriptive analysis of discards and total catch in European waters Leader: IMARES Milestones • Report on an overview of existing discard data by métier/fleet, area and member state. • Tool for description of spatial and temporal discarding patterns, comprising of a statistical framework in an open-source software program. →progress on methodology and sampling effort required for estimating and presenting discards at the fleet level in European fisheries.

9. WP2: Indicators of bycatch and discards in European waters Leader: IEO Objective: Development of indicators to monitor and manage discard issues for European fisheries/fleets 1. State indicators that describe the composition of catches and discards at both the stock and community levels • Sorting size for commercially important species. • Minimum, mean and maximum size of discards. • Diversity indices (richness, evenness) for total catch. • Trophic level of total catch.

10. WP2: Indicators of bycatch and discards in European waters Leader: IEO Objective: Development of indicators to monitor and manage discard issues for European fisheries/fleets 2. Pressure indicators • Summary tables of known selectivity of fishing gears. • Indicators for selectivity estimates by fleet for a range of species both commercial and non-commercial and for the community.

11. WP2: Indicators of bycatch and discards in European waters Leader: IEO Milestones • Collation of relevant biological and technical information to estimate indicators in each study area • Common protocol for developing state and pressure indicators

12. WP3. Factors affecting discard patterns Leader: Cefas Objective: Analyze the environmental and technical factors that influence discard patterns and evaluate the efficacy of technical measures implemented in the past. WP3 will use the data compiled in WP1 and WP2 on discard patterns and indicators, along side information on environmental variables and year class strength, and details of gear based technical measures legislated for in selected fisheries. The sensitivity and responsiveness of the state indicators (WP1 and 2) will be examined by an analysis of their relationships with pressure indicators (WP2) and response indicators (WP3).

13. WP3. Factors affecting discard patterns Leader: Cefas Milestones • Provision of a general framework to evaluate technical measures • Collation of catch data with corresponding information on gear type, area, season environmental factors, year-class strength and legislation • Development of methods for evaluating specific technical measures using catch and associated data

14. WP4. Socio-economic and institutional incentives for discarding Leader: IFM Objective: Develop an understanding of socio-economic and institutional drivers and incentives on fishers’ behaviour with regard to selectivity and discard practices. Development of a framework based on a review of previous studies of implementation and effects of selective and discard reducing tools – especially gear. Central elements in the framework would be economic incentives, the institutional (management) framework and norms among the group of fishermen.

15. WP4. Socio-economic and institutional incentives for discarding Leader: IFM Objective: Develop an understanding of socio-economic and institutional drivers and incentives on fishers’ behaviour with regard to selectivity and discard practices. In order to understand drivers and incentives influencing discard behaviour case studies will be investigated with a focus on the selective behaviour of the fishers specific fisheries where new selective gear is being developed or has been/is being introduced. • The mixed fishery for Nephrops in Skagerrak and Kattegat • The English southwest otter trawl • The Greek demersal trawl fishery in North Eastern Mediterranean waters

16. WP4. Socio-economic and institutional incentives for discarding Leader: IFM Milestones • Provision of a framework for understanding drivers for the selective and discard behaviour • Specification of drivers and incentives in the selected fisheries and a description of how they influence the general discard behaviour and uptake of selective gear

17. WP5. Mitigation measures to reduce discards in European waters Leader: MATIS Objectives • To suggest potential mitigation measures, based on all previous WPs. • To develop and use a simulation tool to evaluate discard management strategies A simulation tool combining morphological information on fish and invertebrates with different mesh configurationswill be further developed and used to compare management strategies to mitigate discards in mixed species fisheries (scenario analysis). Deliverables from WP3 (factors that determine discard amounts) and WP4 (understanding which socio-economic and institutional factors influence the fishers discard behaviour) will be used to set up a “what-if” scenario for technical measures for discard minimization.

18. WP5. Mitigation measures to reduce discards in European waters Leader: MATIS Milestones • Simulation tool to predict optimal mesh and the effect of technical measures • Workshop to discuss the consequences of findings in the other WPs in terms of discard management • Meetings with local end-users to discuss project results

19. Timing of WPs and their components Final report Project Management

20. Dissemination of results • scientific papers and presentations in scientific conferences • a Theme Session about “Discarding: indicators, factors, and potential mitigations’ ”will be proposed as part of an International Conference • a website will be consructed and used to distribute general information on the project, publication of results, announcements of events, links to relevant websites, contact information, news etc. → There will be opportunity for visitors to respond and reflect on the material presented.