5. What are the primary uses of forage fish?
In some cases, as with the Alaska pollock and Pacific hake (whiting) fisheries, the primary products are
surimi (fake crab) and frozen fillets for human consumption, although large quantities of fishmeal are also
produced as a secondary byproduct. In many cases, however, forage fish are not intended for human food
consumption; instead they are exclusively processed into fishmeal and fish oil to be used in poultry,
livestock, and aquaculture feeds. Much smaller quantities are caught and used as bait in commercial crab,
lobster, and other fisheries.
Forage fish are also used by recreational anglers as chum and as cut or live
bait for sportfish such as striped bass, bluefish, king mackerel, sharks, and tunas.