According to CMFRI the main aim of this workshop is to discuss the status of bycatch in Karnataka trawl fishery and its possible impacts on long-term sustainability. It will also focus on better utilization of bycatch as well as reduction of discards by operational changes. Moreover, the workshop envisages demonstrating the utility of the spatio-temporal data on catch and discards from different fishing grounds, which eventually help in formulating policies for conservation of these resources.
The Mangalore Research Centre conducted studies on the bycatch of trawlers from 2007-2010 on the landings and discards from trawl fishery of Karnataka showed that the percentage of landed bycatch as trashfish increased from 3 to 15 percent in trawl fishing operations whereas the discarded bycatch showed a slight reduction.
The studies covered the trawling operations from Mangalore Fisheries Harbour for nearly 260 fishing days annually. The spatial trends in the bycatch landings from Ratnagiri in North to Ponnani in the South clearly demarcated the season-wise occurrence of juveniles in the fishing grounds. The release noted that as per Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), most fishing techniques are at least partially non-selective resulting in unintentional capture of non-target species.
