Tonnes of Discarded Fish This Year
CURRENT TOTAL
Live Counter Notable Facts
(Data shown in the table is for 2025. Counter shows current estimate)
Annual Discards
Per Second Rate
Percentage of Catch
Understanding Tonnes of Discarded Fish This Year
This counter tracks the amount of fish and marine life discarded at sea annually - creatures caught unintentionally and thrown back dead or dying. Every second, approximately 0.289 tonnes of marine life are wasted, representing both an ecological tragedy and economic loss.
Global discards have actually declined from a peak of 18 million tonnes in the 1990s to current levels around 9.1 million tonnes, representing 10.8% of the total catch. This improvement comes from better fishing practices, gear modifications, and policies like the EU's landing obligation banning discards.
Different fishing methods produce vastly different discard rates. Bottom trawling generates about 50% of all discards despite being used for only 25% of catches. In contrast, selective methods like pole-and-line fishing produce minimal bycatch, highlighting the importance of gear choice.
Global Fishing Discards Overview
- Discards represent one of fishing's most wasteful practices, where non-target species, undersized fish, or over-quota catches are thrown overboard. While 9.1 million tonnes annually is substantial, it marks significant progress from historical highs.
- Shrimp trawl fisheries produce the highest discard rates, with up to 60% of catch discarded in some regions. For every kilogram of shrimp caught, several kilograms of other marine life may be killed and discarded, including juvenile fish crucial for ecosystem health.
- Economic factors increasingly drive discard reduction. Rising fish prices make previously discarded species marketable, while quota systems penalize wasteful practices. The EU's discard ban requires landing all catches, forcing fishers to be more selective.
- Solutions exist and are proving effective. Turtle excluder devices reduce sea turtle bycatch by 97%. Modified nets allow juvenile fish to escape. Real-time reporting helps fishers avoid areas with high bycatch. These innovations show discards can be dramatically reduced.
Bycatch and Discard Terminology
- Bycatch: Non-target species caught incidentally during fishing operations, including protected species
- Discards: Portion of catch returned to the sea dead or dying, whether target or non-target species
- High-grading: Discarding lower-value fish to maximize profit from limited quota, now often illegal
- Ghost Fishing: Continued catching by lost or abandoned fishing gear, contributing to mortality
Discards by Fishing Method
- Bottom Trawl: 4.5 million tonnes (50% of discards)
- Shrimp Trawl: 2.7 million tonnes (30% of discards)
- Longline: 0.9 million tonnes (10% of discards)
- Purse Seine: 0.5 million tonnes (5% of discards)
- Gillnet: 0.3 million tonnes (3% of discards)
- Other Methods: 0.2 million tonnes (2% of discards)
Common Discarded Species
- Juvenile Commercial Fish: 40% of discards
- Non-commercial Fish: 35% of discards
- Crustaceans: 10% of discards
- Sharks and Rays: 8% of discards
- Marine Mammals: 3% of discards
- Seabirds and Turtles: 4% of discards
Bycatch Reduction Technologies
- Turtle Excluder Devices: 97% reduction in sea turtle deaths
- Circle Hooks: 90% reduction in sea turtle hooking
- Acoustic Pingers: 70% reduction in dolphin bycatch
- Separator Grids: 60% reduction in juvenile fish
- LED Lights: 64% reduction in seabird bycatch
- Real-time Reporting: 25% overall bycatch reduction
Data Sources and References
Methodology and Data Collection
Discard estimates are based on FAO's comprehensive assessment using observer data from fishing vessels, landing reports, and scientific surveys across major fishing regions, representing the most accurate global estimates available.
Real-time calculations use a discard rate of 0.289 tonnes per second based on annual discards of 9.1 million tonnes, equivalent to 10.8% of the global catch of 84.6 million tonnes, with variations by season and fishing region.