Driving fisheries sustainability through advances in gear technology

Project Scope

Introduced under the 2013 reform of the Common Fisheries Policy, the European Union Landing Obligation aims to reduce the wasteful practice of discarding by encouraging fishers to avoid unwanted catches.

Fully implemented in 2019, this new fisheries management approach raised challenges for Ireland’s commercially important bottom trawl fisheries for Dublin Bay prawns – or Nephrops – and for fish species such as cod, haddock and whiting. BIM and the Irish Industry collaborated closely on a range of technical solutions to reduce unwanted catches in these fisheries which are summarised in the following guide:

Guide on Technical Solutions to reduce unwanted catches