Bycatch and Discards: The Hidden Welfare Cost of Commercial Fishing

Billions of non-target animals are caught and discarded in commercial fishing operations each year. Understanding the scale and welfare implications of bycatch is essential for informed engagement with fisheries policy.

Key Facts

Bycatch is estimated at 40% of global fish catch — approximately 38 million tonnes of non-target animals annually
Bycatch species include juvenile fish, sea turtles, dolphins, seabirds, sharks, and invertebrates
EU regulations introduced discard bans requiring all catch to be landed — but enforcement remains inconsistent
Trawling disturbs the seabed and kills vast numbers of invertebrates and juvenile fish not captured in the net
Longline fishing kills an estimated 300,000 seabirds annually as bycatch, including endangered albatrosses
Dolphin-safe tuna certification was developed following consumer outrage at dolphin deaths in purse seine nets
Ghost fishing by lost or abandoned nets continues to trap and kill animals for years after the gear is lost
Selective fishing gear modifications including turtle excluder devices and grid systems can dramatically reduce bycatch

Welfare Considerations

Bycatch represents one of the largest sources of animal suffering in the global food system, largely invisible to consumers and regulators. Animals caught as bycatch face suffocation, crushing, barotrauma, and entanglement — often dying slowly over hours as nets are retrieved. The welfare implications are significant for every category of bycatch species: from cognitively complex dolphins and sea turtles to the billions of juvenile fish whose deaths truncate entire generations. The primary tools for bycatch reduction — gear modification, spatial closures, and catch limits — require political will to implement and economic support for fishing communities during transition.

What You Can Do

Choose seafood certified by MSC or equivalent schemes that include bycatch reduction standards
Advocate for mandatory use of bycatch reduction devices in commercial fisheries in your country
Support campaigns to end bottom trawling in sensitive marine habitats
Donate to organisations developing and testing selective fishing gear modifications
Engage with fisheries policy consultations to advocate for strong bycatch and discard reduction targets
Raise awareness of bycatch as a welfare and sustainability issue when discussing seafood choices