Most stocks of shrimp in this region are under pressure because they are heavily fished or overfished. [Illegal fishery] plays a big part in this. Catch data are unreliable. Most shrimp fisheries are not or barely regulated, which means that it is not clear if the existing management measures are being followed.
[bottom otter trawls] for shrimp often have much bycatch, including young, undersizedUndersized fish:
Fish smaller than a prescribed minimum size. These sizes are determined per species and per country. For Europe, a minimum landing size applies to all EU Member States. fish. 20-80% of the catch is bycatch, of which much is discarded. In some areas everything is [landed]. There is also incidental bycatch of protected species like sea turtles, sharks and rays.
Fishing with bottom trawls touches the seabed and there is a direct disruption of the bottom life. Intensive fishing with [bottom otter trawls] leads on the long term to a change in the [species composition] in the sea. This is mainly a concern for the vulnerable habitats, like coral and sea grass reefs, that occur in this region.