Transforming 10 million tonnes of fisheries waste

There are around 10 million tonnes of targeted wild capture fisheries that are wasted every year. This waste consists of cut-offs from processing, heads, frames, guts, skin and scales – which are often thrown back into the ocean where they interrupt marine food webs or they are thrown to landfill, where this organic material breaks down releasing methane.

As the global aquaculture sector increases, this too creates processing side streams that add to this wasted volume and cumulatively contribute to the global carbon footprint associated with food waste.

By creating value chains, functional businesses and products that sustainably and profitably use these wasted parts of the fish, not only does this reduce GHG emissions by providing incentive to save and use, it supports SDG 14 too. The impact of the saved waste in Iceland has been huge – for Atlantic cod now 90% of every fish is utilised instead of wasted and significant value has been created: supporting win-win for environment and economy with a single fish once valued at $12 to one with potential value of $4,750 – with new socially beneficial products provided to the market – addressing UN SDG 12 as well.