A user-friendly guide has been developed by the Environmental Defense Fund as a tool to help reduce discards and meet the EU landing obligation. The guide aims to help EU fishermen, fishery managers and Member State regulators find ways to successfully implement the CFP landing obligation requirements.
The EU discard reduction manual is an attempt to facilitate the implementation of the landing obligation – also known as discard ban – as agreed within the reformed Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). The Baltic discard plan regulation come into force on 1 January 2015; and is a temporary Regulation that will apply for a maximum of three years.
The Environmental Defense Fund describes the manual “The manual is not prescriptive; rather, it discusses different tools that can be tailored to meet the specific needs and address the diversity in EU fisheries. The document is categorized by two key approaches, with the first outlining tools that help ensure Member States and quota managers use their available catch quota in the ‘smartest’ way possible through well-designed, robust quota management systems. The second focuses on changes in the day-to-day operation of the fishing industry, such as introducing avoidance measures and improving selectivity. These approaches are supplemented by a section on achieving full accountability to support successful implementation of the landing obligation.