For example, the Magnuson Act of the USA specifies that the minimization of bycatch is a key objective of conservation measures. Internationally, conferences have been held to develop sustainable fishing practices such as the reduction of discards, waste and catches of non-targeted species and the worldwide controls to reduce bycatch of endangered species. As a result there have been net size limits imposed on most fisheries. TEDs are now required on shrimp boats in the U.S. and the U.S. has banned all shrimp imports from countries that do not use TEDs. Since 1999 in the Gulf of Maine, pingers have been required on gillnets to reduce accidental bycatch of porpoises.
Pingers are small electronic beepers designed to warn marine mammals to stay away.
Administration within fisheries has helped to deal with unwanted bycatch, such as making it possible for fishers to buy and sell quota in order to cover their over-quota catch. A permissible quota over-run policy allows fishers to exceed their quota one year in exchange for reducing their quota the next year. Taxes and subsidiaries either provide incentives or disincentives to fishers to discard. Positively, taxes could be implemented on discards by fishers and subsidiaries given to fishers that do not discard. Under economic stability, this is a feasible policy but could be unstable during economic lows.