bycatch

noun

by·​catch ˈbī-ˌkach How to pronounce bycatch (audio)
-ˌkech
: the portion of a commercial fishing catch that consists of marine animals caught unintentionally

Examples of bycatch in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The device reduced the bycatch of the open-ocean sharks by 62% to 70% but didn’t reduce catches of tuna or swordfish at all. — Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 6 Feb. 2026 Sharks often become bycatch – entangled in fishing nets not intended for them, they are rendered helpless and face certain death. — Charlotte Reck, CNN Money, 9 June 2026 The primary threat to the species is from small-scale and subsistence fishing operations, which capture the Ganges shark as bycatch. — John P. Rafferty, Encyclopedia Britannica, 13 Mar. 2026 These may include divers, spearfishermen, or people who come into contact with sharks, or bites occurring while removing sharks caught as bycatch. — Owen Clarke, Outside, 23 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for bycatch

Word History

First Known Use

1962, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bycatch was in 1962

Rhymes for bycatch

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Browse Nearby Words

by car
bycatch
by chance
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Cite this Entry

“Bycatch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bycatch. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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