trash fish

American  

noun

1. a fish traditionally sold only for animal feed or manufactured products.

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Etymology

Origin of trash fish

First recorded in 1940–45

Example Sentences

What had been a trash fish for the better part of the 20th century could suddenly transform into one of the most sought-after ingredients through the innovation of this one individual at Japan Airlines.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 18, 2024

For years, lampreys were deliberately poisoned along with other so-called trash fish.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 23, 2022

“I would say that anyone who says they are a trash fish hasn’t caught one,” Kambouris told me.

From Washington Post • May 17, 2022

Few noticed the disappearance of the June sucker, regarded as a trash fish, until it was almost too late, the Salt Lake Tribune reported.

From Washington Times • Jan. 9, 2021

Atlantic bottlenosed dolphins have catholic tastes, feeding on shrimp, eels, catfish, menhadden mullet, and miscellaneous trash fish, to mention only a few.

From Whales, Dolphins, and Porpoises of the Western North Atlantic A Guide to Their Identification by Caldwell, David