Young’s Seafood has this month called for a ban on the practice of discarding – throwing dead fish back into the sea once they have been caught.

Mike Parker, deputy CEO, says, “We believe there should be a complete ban on discards, which is a senseless and unethical waste of natural resources and a barrier to proper fisheries management.”

Discarding is a major issue particularly in ‘mixed’ coastal fisheries such as those around Britain, where many types of fish exist together, making it harder for fishermen to target individual species. Current quota regimes then prevent the vessel from landing everything it has caught.

Says Mike Parker: “We are encouraged by recent statements on this issue by EU commissioner, Joe Borg - who has described discarding as making 'no ecological, economic or ethical sense.’ However there is still an urgent need for better science, better legislation and better public debate.”

To see the full text of Young's statement on discards click here..

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Note for editors
Although as a seafood producer Young’s is not directly involved in fishing effort, it is supporting a number of new initiatives and research projects to help reduce discarding.

The business has sponsored a number of research projects into new technology to help tackle the issue, such as its Young’s Trace project (which brings fishery insight and more accurate species targeting) and a research partnership with Glasgow University into new types of net which reduce bycatch.

Young’s is also an active contributor to the Discards Action Group, run by industry body, Seafish.