As the European Commission undertakes its evaluation of the EU’s ban on discarding unwanted catches of fish at sea, known as the landing obligation, the Environmental Justice Foundation reflects on a webinar that EJF co-organised with Oceana in late 2025.

During this discussion, scientists, enforcement authorities, fisheries managers, fishers’ representatives and policymakers offered concrete, experience-based insights on the transformative benefits of the landing obligation.

In jurisdictions where the discard bans have already been implemented, including Norway, Iceland, Chile, Scotland and England, these speakers revealed the extensive and clear positive impacts. This discussion was attended by officials from the European Commission, EU Member State representatives and Members of the European Parliament. It highlighted relevant findings, shared below, for the EU’s next steps on reducing the discarding of unwanted fish at sea and improving the sustainability of fisheries across nations.

Why do discard bans matter?

Discarding remains a major global challenge. Annual discards are estimated at 9.1 million tonnes worldwide, including 1.5 million tonnes in the northeast Atlantic and around 1.7 million tonnes in European fisheries. While laws to reduce and outlaw discarding exist in many jurisdictions, including the EU’s landing obligation, the question of how to make them work in practice remains. This is central to the current evaluation of the EU’s Common Fisheries Policy.

Against this backdrop, the webinar co-organised by EJF and Oceana explored how integrating monitoring systems, strong surveillance, transparency and fisher involvement can turn discard bans from a legal concept into an effective management tool.

Scientific perspectives: data, behaviour and trust

Experts speaking at the webinar highlighted that avoiding discards requires more than technical fixes: It demands collaboration with fishers and calls for those at sea to adapt their behaviour, supported by robust data and collaboration. David Reid, Science Committee Chair of the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea, told the audience: “Gear-based modifications, while they help, are not the full answer. The behaviour of fishermen working with us is key to try and avoid discards.”

On the other side, trust between scientists and industry is also essential to reliable reporting and accessing accurate data on discards. Tom Clegg, a researcher from the Norwegian Institute of Marine Research, added: “Strong levels of trust and cooperation with industry helps getting actual data on discards.”

Lessons from beyond the EU

Norway’s discard ban was introduced progressively from the late 1980s and expanded into a general landing obligation in 2009. This was repeatedly cited by speakers as an example of how regulation can drive a shift in mindset – provided it is supported by practical measures.

Thord Monsen, Counsellor for Fisheries and Trade Norwegian Mission to the European Union, shared that “the landing obligation on its own is just an idea. Obligation cannot solve the problem if fishers continue as before. We must support it with measures to help fishers avoid discards altogether, based on knowledge of fisheries.”

Monsen indicated that a range of tools such as real-time area closures, more selective gear, quota adjustments, incentives, and emerging technologies, including AI-supported catch identification, are part of a growing fisheries management ‘toolbox’.

In Iceland, three decades of experience with a discard ban has resulted in mandatory landing of all catches, quota accountability and public access to quota data, among other crucial measures. Viðar Ólason, Director of Surveillance Directorate of Fisheries Iceland, told the audience “we strongly believe in transparency … We believe that this openness has a behavioural effect. When everyone can see the data, compliance improves.”

From the Pacific, Chile provided evidence of how electronic monitoring, onboard cameras, electronic logbooks, and observer programmes can work together to reduce discards and bycatch. Luis Cocas Gonzalez, Bycatch and Observer Programs Coordinator from Chile’s Undersecretariat for Fisheries and Aquaculture, shared, “regulation is providing a clear framework for diagnosis of the problem, assigns sanctions and applies inflexible regulation for bycatch. This, combined with key feedback from the industry, supports the reduction of discarding and bycatch numbers.”

Meanwhile, speakers representing fisheries jurisdictions in Scotland and England reflected on the challenges and opportunities of deploying remote electronic monitoring and reforming discard management when multiple fish species are caught at once.

In England, efforts focus on prioritising key fish stocks, improving the accounting of catch and building partnerships across government, industry and NGOs. Vicki Castro-Spokes, Head of Quota Management, Discards, REM and Bycatch from the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, said: “Success is dependent on continuing to strengthen our relationships with the government, fishers and NGOs. We are building trust and learning from one another to be able to sustain these measures.”

Jurisdictions across the UK are considering rollout of remote electronic monitoring requirements. Scotland is a ‘first mover’ and set to apply these new requirements to fishing vessels operating in Scottish waters from March 2026.

Jane MacPherson, Head of Fisheries Management Strategy from the Scotland’s government, shared: “Going forward we really need to ensure that we're joined up with others, so that interoperability of systems is very, very important. So we're wanting to reach out … As others want to use remote electronic monitoring then it's important that we have standardised systems in place.”

Looking Ahead

Across regions and governance systems, a consistent message emerged: discard bans only work when they are embedded in a wider framework of prevention, monitoring, transparency and cooperation. Technology – whether electronic monitoring, AI-supported tools, or drones – can support compliance, but trust, incentives and fisher engagement remain fundamental.

As the European Commission enters the closing stages of its evaluation of the Common Fisheries Policy, including the landing obligation, these global experiences offer practical guidance on how the EU could move from obligation to outcomes – reducing waste, improving data, and safeguarding fish populations for the future.