Latest study from MMO must be precisely discussed. This experiment is a great issue and a first attempt to solve the administrative cause of discarding through catch quota tool. The results shows a high drop of discard when fishermen have enough quota.
This also shows that main cause of North sea high rates of discard should be addressed with the 2 levels of administrative constraints regarding scarcity of quotas: 1°) low TAC which can be solved by catch quota at EU level and 2) national conditions of distributing quotas (see impact of UK FQA and especially leasing of quotas)
I propose here to have a technical discussion about the following issues: - what are the conditions surrounding this experiment and how this experiment could be used to solve the matter: fishery pre-existing rate of discard, type of fishing gear involved, multispecific species catches issues - quota availability: how this experiment succeed to find extraquota to be included in the catch-quota (through inclusion of discard estimation inside the catch quota? In the existing quota scheme, are we sure we can find enough extraquota for all fisheries?
Please, use a simple English in your writing to enable all not-at-ease English readers or writers to participate (such as me)
Discards reduced through catch quota trial marinemanagement.org.uk
News story about the publication of the final report from the catch quota trials in 2011 that show the trials are having success in reducing disards.