Marine Animal Welfare

Commercial Fishing Bycatch Individual Welfare

Beyond population-level conservation concerns, bycatch in commercial fisheries represents enormous numbers of individual animals experiencing capture stress, injury, and death, warranting welfare consideration.

Key Facts

Global bycatch is estimated at 40% of total marine catch by some estimates
Bycatch species include dolphins, turtles, seabirds, and non-target fish species
Animals caught as bycatch experience same stress and injury as target species
Bycatch reduction devices have demonstrated success in reducing capture of non-target species
Improved monitoring and reporting requirements help quantify bycatch welfare impacts

Welfare Considerations

Viewing bycatch only through a conservation lens underestimates its welfare significance. The billions of individual animals caught, stressed, injured, and killed annually as bycatch deserve consideration as welfare subjects, strengthening the case for bycatch reduction technologies and practices.

What You Can Do

Choose seafood certified with bycatch reduction standards
Learn about bycatch reduction devices and their effectiveness
Support regulations requiring bycatch monitoring and reduction measures