RAP PUBLICATION 2005/16

RAP PUBLICATION 2005/16

ASIA-PACIFIC FISHERY COMMISSION

Asian fisheries today:
The production and use of low value/trash fish
from marine fisheries in the Asia-Pacific region

Simon Funge-Smith, Erik Lindebo and Derek Staples


FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS
REGIONAL OFFICE FOR ASIA AND THE PACIFIC
Bangkok, 2005
 

Table of Contents

The designation and presentation of material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers and boundaries.

© FAO 2005

NOTICE OF COPYRIGHT

All rights reserved. Reproduction and dissemination of material in this information product for educational or other non-commercial purposes are authorized without any prior written permission from the copyright holders provided the source is fully acknowledged. Reproduction of material in this information product for sale or other commercial purposes is prohibited without written permission of the copyright holders. Applications for such permission should be addressed to the Senior Fishery Officer, FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, Maliwan Mansion, 39 Phra Athit Road, Bangkok 10200, Thailand.

For copies write to:

The Senior Fishery Officer

FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific

Maliwan Mansion, 39 Phra Athit Road

Bangkok 10200

THAILAND

Tel: (+66) 2 697 4000

Fax: (+66) 2 697 4445

E-mail: [email protected]

Cover photos: Mixed fish landings (Theo Ebbers, 2004) and fish sauce vats in Phu Quoc, Viet Nam (Simon Funge-Smith, 2004)

Table of Contents

Foreword

Acknowledgements

Executive summary

1. Introduction

1.1. Definitions of low value/trash fish
1.2. Asia-Pacific fisheries
1.3. Fishing in the context of poverty

2. Low value/trash fish in the Asia-Pacific region

2.1. Sources and production trends
2.2. Uses

3. Issues associated with low value/trash fish

3.1. Overall drivers
3.2. Increasing use of low value/trash fish for aquaculture and other animal feeds
3.3. Competition between use of low value/trash fish for fish meal versus use of low value/trash fish for human food
3.4. Sustainability of the current system
3.5. Amount of fish that becomes trash due to poor handling and post-harvest
3.6. Growth overfishing - harvesting juveniles of commercial species
3.7. Discarding of unwanted fish

4. Conclusions

4.1. Current dilemma
4.2. Future prospects

References

Appendix 1. Examples of small-scale and industrial/commercial fisheries classifications

Appendix 2. General conclusions of the ACIAR report on A survey of marine trash fish and fish meal as aquaculture feed ingredients in Vietnam Edwards, P., Tuan, L.A. And Allan, G.L. (2004)