Eradicating discards

The aim of eradicating discards in the Baltic Sea is to contribute to more healthy stocks and marine eco-systems, secure full economic potential of the goods provided by the sea, satisfy growing consumer demands for sustainable fisheries products and to gain a more reliable picture of the stock situation and thus strengthen the biological advice. There is a broad consensus in the EU that discards should be eradicated. Abolishing discards is also an important horizontal issue within the context of the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy.

The issue of discards in the Baltic Sea cod fishery was addressed at a workshop in Copenhagen, June 2009, and became a flagship project within the BalticSea Strategy in the autumn of 2009. The Baltic Sea Member States and the EU Commission decided in October 2009 to establish a technical working group to assess different measures and develop a roadmap to eradicate discards inter alia through the adoption of a discard ban as appropriate. At the joint EUSBSR Priority 9 seminar and BALTFISH Forum meeting 18 November 2010, the Commission (DG Mare) presented a draft paper for a roadmap for the eradication of cod discards in the Baltic Sea fisheries building among others on the conclusions from the technical working group. The road map contains an overview of issues such as scope and management relating to discarding in the Baltic Sea, and includes a timeline for the implementation of a combination of measures 2011 – 2013, by which year a discard ban in the cod fishery could be introduced following the stepwise approach laid down in the road map. The BALTFISH Forum welcomed the draft road map, and there was a preliminary discussion on the different issues and elements to be included in the road map. An open consultation on the draft ended 31 December 2010, and several contributions have been sent to the Commission. Following this consultation process the Commission is expected to finalize the road map. In addition, the Baltic Sea Regional Advisory Council held a technical workshop on bycatch management and the reductions of discards 9-10 February. The workshop focused on selectivity and challenges in the cod fishery, and brought together a mix of Baltic Sea participants from the industry and NGO’s, scientists, netmakers, engineers and administrators. The meeting resulted in a list of recommendations for investigating and further improving the trawls used in the Baltic.