Researchers from Aberdeen have put a call out to Scotland’s seafood sector to help them understand why they could be missing out on netting the full potential of their catch by getting more value from by-products.
The team of researchers from The James Hutton Institute in Aberdeen, who are attending the Scottish Skipper Expo in Aberdeen later this week- May 9 and 10, have been looking at opportunities to achieve better value throughout the seafood supply chain, including from by-products.
Fish oil and fish meal is already being produced as a by-product in Scotland, but other opportunities from elsewhere in the world include extracting insulin from fish eyes, using fish skin for leather and even skin grafts and using shellfish shells for land drainage.
The team of economic and social science researchers at the Hutton is now calling on the wider seafood sector to help them understand the potential by filling in a survey.
“We would like the industry to help us identify where the best opportunities are and find ways to overcome the barriers to unlock them,” says Dr Nazli Koseoglu, applied economist, at the Hutton, who will be at the Hutton’s stand at Skipper Expo and encourages visitors to attend and speak to the team.
“A challenge in the Scottish sector is a lack of data on what could be processed, which is why we’re keen for people to take the survey from right across the sector. Initial findings suggest, there are other challenges, such as the cost of labour for processing, which would be needed to segregate materials for use, as well as storage of by-products and the variability of catch, which makes scale and setting up supply chains difficult.
Credit: Pixabay, North Sea fishing vessel
“Additionally, a large amount of the fish and shellfish landed in Scotland is exported, with processing potentially happening elsewhere, which could also limit re-use opportunities. But we need to learn more, which is why it’s important people take the survey and come and speak to us at Skipper Expo.
“If we can help to pinpoint what the opportunities are, it could also help bring in innovative players, funding and opportunities to collaborate.”
The results of the work, part of an EU-wide project called LOWINFOOD, will be shared with UK and EU policy makers, which could help further unlock opportunities.
Scotland landed 429,000 tonnes of sea fish and shellfish in 2022, with a gross value of £617 million in 2022, according to Scottish Government data, with the most being landed in northeast Scotland.
“One challenge for the Scottish sector is the segmented nature of the supply chain, compared with somewhere like Iceland, which has a more integrated industry,” explains Dr Simone Piras, an economist at the Hutton, who will also be at the expo to speak with the sector. “They’re able to see where there are opportunities to turn what might be seen low-value by-product into valued products like collagen or even skin grafts, using the fish skin. By learning more and helping the industry collaborate, we hope we can find similar opportunities here in Scotland.”
The team also hope to learn from and share innovations from other countries like Iceland and Norway, but also other food supply chains, like fruit and vegetables.
“By taking our survey, the industry will help us to better understand where there could be opportunities and that will in turn unlock the potential for collaboration,” says Dr Piras. “Also, our results will be important in helping to make policy changes that could support the ability to get higher values from by-catch and by-product.”
Those taking part in the survey, which is open until the end of June, will be entered into a prize draw to win one of a number of £50 gift cards to spend in a store of their choice. They will also be able to access the results of the survey.
The project will run until October 2024, when there will be an event bringing in stakeholders from across the fish and seafood supply chain, including survey participants, to share the results.
The team will be on at stand G5 at the Skipper Expo ready to speak with anyone from the sector.
To fill in the survey, visit: https://hutton.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bOh2mj1OHCh6kOa