1. Introduction
In order to improve exploitation patterns and reduce the problem of discards in the fisheries, Norway has over the years established a suite of regulations and management measures [1] and [2]. The main objective has been to promote an exploitation pattern where fish below minimum legal size are spared, and where unwanted bycatch can be minimised. This has been achieved through several interconnected measures, which can be referred to as the “Discard Ban Package”.
There are several causes or incentives for discarding [2], [3] and [4], including:
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juvenile fish; discarding of fish below minimum landing/commercial size
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highgrading; filling scarce quotas with fish of size and quality obtaining a higher price per kg
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lack of quota; discarding of species for which the vessel has exhausted its quotas or exceeded bycatch limits
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too large catches; discarding the part of catch exceeding the vessel’s processing or carrying capacity
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species of low value; discarding of bycatches of species of little or no commercial value
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damaged fish; discarding of fish that is damaged or otherwise unfit for human consumption.
The incentives for discarding may vary according to a range of parameters such as e.g. ecosystem, size and age structure of target stocks, season, gear type, available quotas and the regulatory framework. Discarding is often regarded as a waste of living resources [5] and [6]. Minimising unwanted bycatch that might otherwise be discarded is relevant both to conservation and to economical and distributional aspects of fishing activities. The term “unwanted” may in this context encompass bycatches of threatened species and species without economic interest to the fisher, as well as species for which a particular fisher or fleet does not hold a quota or fishing right.
Norway introduced a discard ban on cod (Gadus morhua) and haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus) in 1987 for both economic and ethical reasons [7]. The very existence of the ban has been beneficial in changing the fishers’ attitudes and discouraging the practice of discarding. The ban was gradually expanded to new species, and from 2009 an obligation to land all catches was introduced, albeit with certain exemptions [8] and [9]. It should be noted that the ban applies to dead or dying fish. Viable fish can be released back to the sea.
The discard ban was preceded by a programme of real-time closures of fishing areas (RTCs) which evolved from 1984 and onwards.
Area closures are well developed measures in fisheries as well as environmental management. An overview of the usage of area restrictions, including Marine Protected Areas, in Norwegian fisheries management is available online [10]. In fisheries management, closed areas can basically be grouped into two main categories: permanently closed areas and RTCs.