Bycatch is a topic you’re not likely to hear much about in discussions of food loss and waste. Bycatch is the non-target (read: accidental) marine wildlife that is caught in fishing nets or on fishing lines and is then discarded either at sea or at port.

What is discarded bycatch?

Bycatch is the portion of the catch that is not comprised of the fishery’s target species and the FAO defines discards as the portion of the catch that is thrown back into the sea. … Discards seriously damage marine ecosystems and represent a waste of fishing resources.

What does bycatch mean?

Bycatch is fish or other marine species caught unintentionally while trying to catch another type of fish. In some cases, bycatch cannot be avoided, and unwanted fish end up in the fishing net.