Spatio-temporal composition of discard associated with the deep water rose shrimp fisheries (Parapenaeus longirostris, Lucas 1846) in the south-central Mediterranean Sea

Discarding in fisheries is the fraction of the total catch brought on board and returned to the sea dead or alive for legal or economic reasons. The reduction of discard is one of the main objectives of the European Common Fishery Policy. This study aimed to improve the current knowledge of the discard associated with the deep-water rose shrimp (DPS) fisheries in the south-central Mediterranean Sea. We analyzed data collected from January 2009 to December 2013. Multivariate data analysis and generalized additive models (GAMs) were used to assess the spatio-temporal composition of the discard (which represented 36% of the total catch) and factors influencing its distribution. Multiple analys…