Discard ban – a cornerstone of a comprehensive policy packet

1. Discard ban – a cornerstone of a comprehensive policy packet By Peter Gullestad Director General of Fisheries, Norway DGFISH and RAC’s study tour to Tromsø, 20 – 22 June 2007

2. Discard policy EU : Prohibited to land ”illegal” fish Norway : Prohibited to catch ”illegal” fish

3. Main elements of the Norwegian discard policy • Ban on discard of commercial important species • Requirement to change fishing ground • Temporary closure of fishing grounds • Special regulatory measures for certain fisheries • Development of selective gear technology

4. Cod Haddock Saithe Redfish Greenland halibut Monkfish Whiting Blue whiting Herring Mackerel Capelin European smelt Shrimp Snow crab Ban on discard of:

5. Barents Sea Monitoring Program (I) March/April 2005

6. Barents Sea Monitoring Program (II) October 2005

7. Selective gear technology

8. Examples of special measures • The G6 regulation of mackerel • Regulation of slipping in purse seine fisheries • Bycatch of herring in the Norway pout fishery • Mixed vessel quota of cod, haddock and saithe for coastal vessels • Regulations to cover unavoidable bycathes

9. North Sea Cod – distribution of Norwegian national allocation • First priority is to cover unavoidable bycatch in other fisheries to minimize discards • Fleet-specific bycatch rules • Necessary quantity to cover unavoidable bycatch needs is calculated annually • Small coastal boats have a ”roof” on their annual individual catch • The rest (if any) of the national allocation is distributed as individual quotas to a limited number of vessels (gillnetters and danish seiners) in a directed fishery

10. North East Arctic Cod

11. North East Arctic Cod

12. North East Arctic Cod

13. North East Arctic Cod

14. Unwanted fishing mortality • Discard is part of the larger problem of unwanted mortality – here defined as all dead fish in excess of agreed quotas • The practical management challenge is to examine each fishery with regard to all possible sources to unwanted mortality, and then try to reduce it to a minimum • The unwanted mortality can be grouped in three categories according to where it occurs: -In the water -On board -At landing

15. Unwanted fishing mortalityset up as an arithmetic problem (1) Total mortality induced by fisheries ÷ Ghost fishing (Gill net) ÷ Escape mortality (Selection-/hauling mortality) ÷ Burst net (Seine, trawl) ÷ Slipping (Seine) ÷ ”Socking the snout” (Hand line/long line) ÷ Others? = Catch taken on board

16. Unwanted fishing mortalitycontinued (2) Catch taken on board ÷ Discard at sea: - Undersized fish - Highgrading - Inferior quality - Too large catch (fishing vs. processing or cargo capasity) - Bycatch (lack of quota) - Bycatch non commercial species - Others? ÷ Discard after main catch is landed - Fish deteriorated on board or otherwise failing to meet the buyer´s specifications = Landed catch

17. Unwanted fishing mortalitycontinued (3) Landed catch ÷ Black landings ÷ Falsified sales notes/landing declarations: = Registered catch measured in product weight multiplied with official conversion factor = Catch in live weight as official recorded Quantity declared is less than landed/price or grading to favourable Incorrect product (too favourable conversion factor) Incorrect catch area (wrong stock/quota) Incorrect species (cod declared as haddock) Incorrect time of catch/landing Others?

18. Summing up • No universal solution to the problem of unwanted mortality • Discard ban part of the solution • Monitoring and control at sea is necessary • National quota allocation and bycatch rules play a role • Flexibility and creativity needed when seeking solutions • Sustainable fishing – increased R & D needed