ABSTRACT
There are no estimates available on the total amount of discards in Community waters; however, data for the North Sea indicated that discards exceed 20% of the total landings. The Commission, in cooperation with Member States, the fishing industry and other stakeholders, launched a number of projects addressing this problem, encompassing a range of species and fisheries to enhance their sustainability. These projects include the quantification of discards, their underlying reasons and the evaluation of the possibilities of reducing harmful fishing practices. Some related steps for reducing the overall ecological footprint include voluntary laying-off of vessels, adoption of less fuel-intensive fishing practices, and the development of more selective and environmentally-friend fishing gear.
