2026-05-13 · percent of marine catch
A quarter of fish caught are discarded
Trawlers throw back unwanted species — dead or dying. Bycatch haunts turtle and dolphin populations.
About a quarter of the world's marine catch is thrown back — most of it dead or dying. Trawlers discard unwanted species as bycatch, a toll that haunts turtle and dolphin populations. This grid splits global fish catch into discarded non-target catch (26%) and landings kept for food (74%).
1 cell = 0.1 percent of marine catch (0.1% of global fish catch) · 1,000 cells
Context
The 26% share sits within the FAO's widely cited bycatch estimate of roughly 20–30% of global marine catch, drawn from Kelleher's bycatch analysis and rounded for this edition.
Discarded catch is rarely landed: non-target species, undersized fish, and protected animals are returned to the sea dead or dying. Sea turtles and dolphins are among the best-documented casualties of trawl bycatch.
The remaining 74% represents landings kept for food — the share of the global catch that actually reaches markets and plates.
FAO / Kelleher bycatch estimates ~20–30%, rounded.
Share and export
Credit this grid as Inagrid — https://inagrid.com/e/2026-05-13-bycatch-waste