Plaice Bycatch Welfare: Flatfish and the Discard Problem

European plaice are subject to enormous bycatch discard in mixed demersal fisheries. The discard of undersized and over-quota plaice causes preventable welfare harm on an enormous scale.

Key Facts

European plaice are caught as bycatch in beam trawl fisheries targeting sole and other flatfish
Historically, large quantities of plaice were discarded dead or dying at sea due to quota mismatches
The EU Landing Obligation (discard ban) requires all quota species to be landed, aiming to reduce discarding
Discard survival is low for plaice caught in beam trawls due to physical damage and air exposure
North Sea plaice stocks have recovered significantly with improved quota management since 2000

Welfare Considerations

Plaice discarded from beam trawls have been subjected to the full trauma of trawl capture — physical abrasion, crushing in the cod end, barotrauma, and air exposure — before being returned to sea alive or dead. The survival rate of discarded plaice is very low. Even survivors experience profound physiological stress and injury. The discard ban has improved this situation but is inconsistently enforced. Continued progress on quota management and gear selectivity reduces the scale of this preventable welfare harm.

What You Can Do

Support EU Landing Obligation enforcement that prevents plaice discarding
Choose plaice from fisheries with documented low bycatch and discard rates
Back development of selective fishing gear that allows juvenile plaice to escape trawls
Donate to fisheries reform organisations working to reduce bycatch in mixed demersal fisheries