Work package 4:
Policy options for discards reduction
The aim of work package 4 is to provide policy recommendations that will allow the implementation the landings obligation, while being consistent with the objectives of the Common Fisheries Policy - in particular with the Maximum Sustainability Yield goals - and that contribute to the implementation of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, in particular the Good Environmental Status (GES) descriptors 1, 3 and 4.
The results of this WP will comprise a collection of economic and policy instruments to incentivise selective fishing and the best utilisation of unwanted catches brought on land. These will be complemented by the following objectives, as well as a variety of initiatives to improve the awareness of fisheries end users towards the main aspects of European fisheries policy:
Objectives
Review the general policy framework at European and international level.
Local-level policies to incentivise fishing with minimum unwanted catches.
Economic instruments to ensure compliance: subsidies to change fishing gear; taxes on “discarders”; taxes to dis-incentivise for-profit commercialisation of discards brought on land; eco-labelling compliant fisheries with “clean fishing” or “selective fishing” label.
Ensure that the activities and achievements of MINOUW will be consistent with the objectives of the European Union Common Fisheries Policy and Marine Strategy Framework Directive.