How are discards treated in harvest accounting under PFMC measures?

• A. Discards are always excluded from quota calculations.
• B. Discards automatically reduce the stock assessment confidence.
• C. Discards may be counted toward quotas or mitigated via bycatch rules, depending on the FMP.
• D. Discards are allocated to a separate discard quota.

Answer: (C)

Discard accounting in PFMC measures hinges on the specific Fishery Management Plan. There isn’t a single universal rule for how discards are treated. Some FMPs count discarded fish toward the harvest quota, meaning the mortality from discards reduces the remaining allowable catch. Other FMPs mitigate discards through bycatch rules—such as bycatch allowances, limits, or other management measures like gear changes or retention rules—so the impact of discards is addressed without simply counting them against the quota. Because treatment of discards is determined by the particular FMP, discards may be counted toward quotas or managed through bycatch rules depending on the fishery.