Byproducts processing has a long history in Alaska, dating from 1882 when the Alaska Oil and Guano Co. started producing fish oil and fertilizer from whole herring. The use of whole herring to produce meals, oils, and other products was a thriving industry with peak herring meal production in 1936 at 19,000 tons. These plants ceased operations in the late 1950s. Not until the Federal Water Control Act of 1972 and establishment of the 200 mile exclusive economic zone were new waste reduction plants constructed in Alaska for processing of shellfish and finfish wastes. Since then, the amount of fish meal produced from fish and shellfish harvested from Alaska waters has increased from 5,000 tons in 1976, to over 70,000 tons in 2002.The amount of marine fish processing byproducts produced from the 2000 harvest was approximately 1,007,000 metric tons (t) of which approximately 53%, 40%, and 7% was processed on shoreside, catcher-processor, and motherships, respectively. Approximately 70% of the total fish harvest was from the Bering Aleutian region. Of the total fish processing byproducts produced in Alaska, approximately 70% come from Pollock and only 9% from salmon. It was estimated that less than 40% of the fish processing byproducts are utilized for human or animal nutritional or industrial products.At present roe is a highly valued byproduct that is always saved, and depending on economic conditions there can be markets for cod stomachs, livers, and heads. With the development of the markets for fish mince there has been a substantial increase in the recovery of muscle flesh from fish frames. However, most of the fish processing byproducts including heads, frames, viscera, and skin are disposed of or made into meal and oil for the animal industries. There is opportunity to produce value added products from underutilized fish processing byproducts.