Discard, Photo, Text: Better data for tomorrow’s fisheries
If you often fish for finfishes like snappers, groupers, amberjack, triggerfish, andcobia in the U.S. Gulf of America, you’ve probably caught some individuals that you were required to release (i.e., discard) based on fishing regulations. These regulations can include bag limits, which determine how many fish an angler may keep per day, size limits that establish minimum, maximum, or slot size requirements, and seasonal closures that prohibit fishing during certain times of the year, particularly during spawning periods. Although regulations function to reduce fishing-associated mortality and thereby protect fish stocks, they also generate increases in discarded fishes, colloquially called “discards.” Discarded fishes are an important component of recreational fisheries. Understanding how many fishes of each species are released, along with the reasons for release, can support stock assessments and, in turn, future management decisions.
Associate Extension Professor