Meghan Grever, 25 November 2020

Recent lockdown measures have resulted in many challenges for food producers, handlers and retailers, with ever changing regulations and guidelines causing many to quickly re-think how to sell and store products to avoid waste and monetary implications. However, the restrictions on transport and economic activities have put a strain on the entire food value chain, resulting in unavoidable increases in food loss and waste, especially of perishable fishery and aquaculture products.

The widespread impacts of COVID-19 are driving a major shift towards a “circular economy” approach within many systems, including the food system. A circular economy is based on the principles of designing out waste and pollution, keeping products and materials in use, and regenerating natural systems. This approach aims to maintain the value of products and materials for as long as possible by returning them into the product cycle at the end of their use, and minimizing the generation of waste. 

Since the industrial revolution, the rapid pace of technological progress has transformed how products are produced. The current system, however, is no longer working for people, businesses, and the environment. Resources and energy are not infinite, and the act of taking resources from the environment to make products only to throw them away when they’re no longer wanted takes a toll on both the planet and personal finances.

The circular model provides an alternative to the current linear economy – known as the “take – make – waste” approach – and seeks to minimize the amount of external inputs, close nutrient loops, and reduce negative environmental impacts. Production therefore encourages regeneration and repurposing, allowing materials to be diverted back to industrial or biological nutrient cycles. Consumption and markets are designed to optimize the use of existing products and enhance their overall value.

A circular economy for food mimics natural systems of regeneration so that waste does not exist, and is instead feedstock for another cycle. It is designed so that organic resources are free from contaminants and can safely be returned at the end of its lifecycle in the form of organic fertilizer. Some by-products can provide additional value by creating new food products, materials, or as sources of bioenergy. These cycles regenerate living systems which provide renewable resources and support biodiversity.

A recent assessment of global marine fisheries discards finds the annual discard quantity to be about 9.1 million tonnes. It is further estimated that 70% of processed fish, including fins, heads, skin and viscera, are thrown away as they are considered ‘waste, overall representing a significant loss of the potential value. This underscores the importance of good fish waste management, and highlights the opportunity for fish wastes to be repurposed in a number of inventive and innovative ways.

Markets for fish by-product and fish waste are increasingly becoming larger as the desire for these products grows, and as new technology emerges to better utilize fish waste and by-products. For example, wasted fish meat is: added to pet food as a source of  omega-3 fatty acids; fermented to create fish sauce; or used as gelatin in gum and jelly confectionary products. Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, and marine collagen are all also sought after as dietary supplements. Fish ink, such as from cuttlefish or squid, can be used for dyes or coloring. Tilapia  scales have long been processed and used by cosmetic companies to add sheen and gloss to their products, and some companies have even been repurposing fish skin to replace leather in products such as shoes, wallets, and belts.

The goal of the circular economy is to find efficiencies in existing systems by identifying where waste occurs, designing solutions which continuously feed back into itself, and ultimately regenerating any materials it consumed. The global food system is highly complex and interlinked, and directly impacts many other important systems, including the climate, energy and water use, and extending to biodiversity and culture. Creating such a systemic shift will require investments of time and funding, and should be a priority consideration in the fisheries sector as the world looks forward to a post-COVID situation.

Find more information and resources on the Circular Economy and the Fish Value Chain here.