Asia-Pacific Fishery Commission (APFIC) regional workshop on low value and trash fish

This publication is the proceedings of the workshop on low value and "trash fish" in the Asia-Pacific region convened in Hanoi, Viet Nam from 7 to 9 June 2005. The workshop was attended by 70 experts from APFIC member countries and from fishery organizations in the region. Trash fish is a broadly used term for fish species that by virtue of their small size or low consumer preference have little or no commercial value. The use of the term varies among countries and can also change both seasonally and with location. One category of trash fish are those not used for human consumption, either landed or discarded at sea. Those that are landed are often small fish that are targeted for processing into fish/animal meal. The other category is low value fish used for human consumption. The huge number of small-scale fisheries in the Asia-Pacific region generates a large quantity of trash fish, much of which is consumed or utilized locally as part of household food security, artisanal processing or for small-scale rural aquaculture and livestock raising. The aim of the workshop was to come up with a clear picture of the current trends and status of trash fish exploitation and utilization.