What if nontrawl fished at trawl scale?

Simply put, bycatch would increase dramatically. Compared to trawl, other means of fishing generate much more bycatch as a percentage of their total catch. For example, longline and charter fishing had a bycatch rate of 13.72% in 2021, compared to just 3.41% for trawl. At trawl-scale volumes, those higher rates translate into far more bycatch tonnage.

The trawl industry fishes at this scale for a reason: to feed people. Trawl fishing supplies a steady, affordable source of protein that millions of people rely on. Any conversation about bycatch has to account for that reality.

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