Project bets on smart platform to combat fish waste
“Fish Matter, From Head to Tail” aims to help companies identify new business opportunities by utilizing discarded fish parts
It’s another step in promoting sustainability in Portugal. The project “Fish Matter, from head to tail,” led by B2E – CoLAB for Blue Bioeconomy, aims to transform the management of parts of fish and other marine organisms that are usually discarded. This innovative project seeks to create an intelligent platform for the valorisation of blue bioeconomy by-products, using advanced matchmaking algorithms to connect by-product generators, processors, and valorisation technologies.
“Fish Matter is a direct response to the underutilisation of raw materials and the urgent need to establish innovative and sustainable circular economy processes,” explains Maria Coelho, coordinator of B2E CoLAB. “The project aims to have a significant impact on the Portuguese economy and society, reinforcing Portugal’s commitment to sustainability and positioning the country at the forefront of innovative marine resource valorisation.”
The platform will be developed to assist companies and other stakeholders in identifying new business opportunities and establishing strategic partnerships. By connecting by-product generators, processing industries, technology providers, and scientific collaboration networks, the Fish Matter – Intelligent Blue Bioeconomy By-product Valorisation Platform will promote the creation of high-value products from underutilised resources such as heads, viscera, skins, and shells.
With the European Commission adopting an Action Plan for the Circular Economy, Fish Matter, whose slogan is “From head to tail,” could become a catalyst for sustainable innovation at the national level. “The platform being developed by B2E CoLAB will be innovative, especially through the use of advanced matchmaking algorithms, which will intelligently connect by-product generators, processors, and valorisation technologies,” highlights Maria Coelho. “This approach will foster the creation of new products and markets, leveraging innovative approaches and promoting a true circular economy,” she adds.
The project’s objectives include deepening the knowledge of by-products generated in the blue bioeconomy sector, identifying technologies for the utilisation of these resources, and finding valorisation opportunities in new value chains in the biomedical, cosmetic, nutraceutical, chemical, and food segments.
The Fish Matter project, led by B2E CoLAB, is being developed in collaboration with CIIMAR, IPMA, ISEP, the University of Aveiro, and the University of Minho, within the scope of the Blue Bioeconomy Pact, a Mobilising Agenda funded by the Recovery and Resilience Plan.
