B2E – CoLAB for the Blue Bioeconomy will organize the networking conference “Valorization of Marine Co-products” on October 18, at 2:15 p.m., at the Infante D. Henrique Auditorium in Matosinhos, with a view to discussing the present and future of marine co-products. Based on the examples of Norway and Iceland, leaders in maximizing the value of each fish by transforming fish waste into useful products with added value, the idea is to bring some of the best practices adopted in those countries to Portugal.

After the opening session attended by Marta Pontes, Councilor for Economic Activities of the Matosinhos City Council, the networking conference will feature the participation of the Innovation Manager of NCE – Norwegian Seafood Innovation, Björgolfur Hávardsson, and the director of Iceland Ocean Cluster, Alexandra Leeper, representatives of companies and innovation systems from Norway and Iceland, totaling almost 200 entities.

On the Portuguese side, the conference includes representatives from research centers and companies operating in the area of co-products, namely Soja de Portugal, ETSA – Empresa Transformadora de Subprodutos Animais, CIIMAR – Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental, and 3B’s Research Group, from the University of Minho. Registration for the conference is free but mandatory and can be done here until October 11.

The event is part of the Roadmap4MarineCoproducts project, led by B2E CoLAB, which brings together strategic partners and their knowledge through cross-border collaboration, funded by the EEA Grants program.

At this stage, the project aims to survey existing innovative technologies and sustainable practices, map the different value chains of the industry in Portugal, identify the types of co-products generated, and explore the possibilities for their use in various areas, such as food, textiles, carpentry, and other industries, as well as networking actions between Portugal, Norway, and Iceland. This project is an important step towards one of B2E CoLAB’s objectives, which is to develop a Portuguese strategic roadmap with concrete diagnoses and recommendations to boost and add value, namely to stimulate the development of new products and applications in the value chain.

It is estimated that more than 10 million tons of unconsumed but high-quality fish waste is discarded worldwide. However, this waste, such as heads, bones, skin, and viscera, represents a potential source of added value for the industry, competitiveness, and more environmentally responsible production.

Using the unused parts of fish, algae, shellfish, and other marine organisms—known as co-products—new products are created for use in various sectors, from the food industry to the pharmaceutical industry. In Iceland, for example, fish skin, heads, and bones are transformed into products such as skin grafts for treating burns, collagen, omega-3-rich fish oil, or protein-rich fish meal.

About EEA Grants:

Through the Agreement on the European Economic Area (EEA), Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway are partners in the internal market with the Member States of the European Union. As a way of promoting a continuous and balanced strengthening of economic and trade relations, the parties to the EEA Agreement have established a multi-annual Financial Mechanism, known as EEA Grants.

The EEA Grants aim to reduce social and economic disparities in Europe and strengthen bilateral relations between these three countries and the beneficiary countries.

For the period 2014-2021, a total contribution of €2.8 billion has been agreed for 15 beneficiary countries. Portugal will benefit from €102.7 million.