A main focus in fisheries research is to reduce the quantity of by-catch discarded. If these live fish are handled with extreme care, they can survive when returned to the marine environment. Most by-catch species are discarded live but a high number of dead discards are returned to the ocean to pollute the marine environment. The rate and amount of discards varies among species, operations, and gears. For instance, there are hardly any discards in the purse seine fishery. One significant reason for discarding catch is that they are juveniles or at a stage of their life cycle when their retention is illegal. Marine plastic debris is a worldwide problem. Plastics do not break down easily and therefore, they create problems when not managed properly. Due to the concern generated by the environmental effects of sea dumping, the British Government sponsored a United Nations Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by dumping of Waste and Other Matter. It is now three decades since the London Convention and the effectiveness of the policy regarding the dumping of waste, fishing debris, at sea is still doubtful. With particular reference to the high seas, fishing debris is still being dumped and continues to pollutes marine life. The prohibition of dumping wastes at sea has to be properly enforced by all nations, since the marine environment is of utmost importance as a supporter of human life.

Keywords:Tuna, discards, by-catch, debris, pollution

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