This report is written in Swedish with an English summary.

The European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) provides support to investments in both selective gear and predator proof gear. The purpose of the support to selective gear is to stimulate investments in fishing gears that reduces unwanted bycatches of fish and crustaceans. Predator proof gear protects the caught fish from being eaten by predators (primarily seals in Swedish fisheries). This report analyses to what extent the investment support has increased the use of selective and predator proof gears, and to what extent this has reduced bycatches and seal damages. The analysis uses data from both the EMFF (2014–2020) and the European Fisheries Fund (EFF, 2007–2013).

The reports finds that the support for species selective grids in the fishery for Norwegian lobster has increased the use of the gear, which also has reduced the unwanted catches. On the other hand, the support does not seem to have increased the use of grids in the shrimp fishery. Overall the report shows that the effect of the support provided within the EHFF (until July 2019) is far from the objective to reduce total unwanted catches in Swedish fisheries with 2 300 tons until year 2023. When it comes to predator proof gear the majority of investments are for seal-proof traps. Because of data limitations it is not possible to determine if the support has increased the use of seal-proof traps.