Collected Papers of the APFIC Regional workshop on "LOW VALUE AND TRASH FISH IN THE ASIA-PACIFIC REGION", Hanoi, Viet Nam, 7- 9 June 2005

This document contains the background papers presented at the APFIC Regional Workshop on "Low value and 'trash fish' in the Asia-Pacific Region" convened in Hanoi, Viet Nam 7-9 June 2005. The term "trash fish" is an inadequate term to describe the range of issues and different relative importance of the fish species caught that are collectively termed "trash fish" within the Asia-Pacific region. The term "trash fish" is used differently in different countries referring to fish that is only used for livestock/fish food in some cases, while in others it covers both livestock/fish food and human food. Inland small/low economic value fish share the same issues as coastal small/low economic value fish and their importance as human food, particularly for the rural and coastal poor is increasingly recognized.  Due to the diversity of terminology and the sometimes subjective use of the word "trash fish", the workshop recommended the use of an overarching term "low value/trash fish" in order to discuss the important issues and not become trapped in extended discussions over terminology. In these collected papers, The use of the term trash fish has been left as it was provided by the author to recognize the different uses of the term prior to the workshop.