| Discards of the French trawler fleet operating in the Celtic Sea in 1997 were studied. Twenty-six trips, representing 0.8% of the total fishing effort, were sampled. This fleet consists of three métiers, benthic trawlers, demersal trawlers and Nephrops trawlers. The fleet discarded an estimated 30,000 tons of animals in 1997, while landing 63,000 tons. The total quantity discarded did not differ among métiers, but the species composition of discards did. Benthic trawlers discarded mainly by-catch species, whereas demersal and Nephrops trawlers discarded primarily their target species. Whiting, megrim, Nephrops and hake were discarded in larger numbers than landed. Hence discards should probably be taken into account in catch-based assessments. However,... |
