The term “bycatch” is widely use to refers to the unintentional capture of non-target species during a fish operation, in addition to target species, and consisting both of other commercial or non-commercial fish species (discards) and incidental catches of vulnerable species such as sea turtles, seabirds, elasmobranchs, marine mammals, coral and sponges.
Bycatch is considered a significant issue because it often involves the capture and subsequent mortally of non-target species, leading to ecological imbalances, threats to biodiversity, and potential impacts on the sustainability of fisheries.
