Developments in Fish Food Technology – Implications for Capture Fisheries

Abstract

It is estimated that the marine fisheries are presently at its full potential, i.e. 82–83 million tons per year. As wild select their own food they provide the most natural source of animal protein available to mankind. Yet, there is significant potential in better utilization of the marine resources. One third of the ocean catch, or 27 million tons, is discarded at sea every year, material that could be processed in various ways. Also, the processing industry can improve yields, use more of the fish waste not to mention improving quality of products. The processing industry is unique in the way how its raw material is obtained. In most cases fishermen compete with one another to get as much as possible from a common source and the raw material is free of charge. This leads to a quantity that impairs development of the industry in terms of utilisation and quality of products. The Icelandic economy is highly dependent on fisheries as some 54% of her currency earnings come from exports even though only 11% of the workforce is engaged in fisheries and processing. In 1984 all the major stocks were subjected to individual quotas and in 1990 the quotas were made transferable between vessels. Today over 90% of the landed by value is subject to this system. The objective of the management system is to minimize the cost of catching and processing and to maximize the value of the catch. Increased confidence in the scientific advice on state of the resource coupled with firm fisheries control seems to be affecting the processing industry in a very positive way. Companies have been restructuring and specializing their processing and marketing. Many private companies have been merging, opening up to new shareholders and being registered on the stock market. Catching is getting more even throughout the year and there are several indicators that quality of the is improving due to better handling. Introduction of sophisticated technologies has cut cost. Vision technology and computerized systems are increasingly being used for producing high value products and monitoring quality and yields. Many companies are making an effort in product development, in marketing unconventional species and producing foods from fish waste. Sound scientific knowledge on the stocks coupled with firm management seems to be turning the industry mentality from hunting into mariculture. Given the right institutional and economic framework the processing industry will make quality products from all catches – including by-catches and fish waste.