National Bycatch Reduction Strategy

The National Bycatch Reduction Strategy is a national sectoral strategy of the United States of America. Its main objective is to guide and coordinate National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries’ efforts to reduce bycatch and bycatch mortality in support of sustainably managing fisheries and recovering and conserving protected species.
More specifically, the Strategy aims to monitor and estimate the rates of bycatch and bycatch mortality in fisheries to understand the level of impact and the nature of the interaction; conduct research to improve our bycatch estimates, understand the impacts of bycatch on species and community dynamics, and develop solutions to reduce bycatch and bycatch mortality; conserve and manage fisheries and protected species by implementing measures to reduce bycatch and its adverse impacts; enforce fishery management measures, including those aimed at reducing bycatch and bycatch mortality, to ensure compliance with applicable laws; and communicate to develop a common understanding of bycatch, to share information on our efforts to address bycatch, and to identify areas where we can improve.