BioreFISH

• Grant agreement ID: 2021 LLAV 00068

• Total project budget: 20.000€

• Start Date: 12/10/2022

  End Date: 11/07/2023

New production strategies are being implemented to achieve the 2050 objectives set by the European Commission. One critical aspect of these strategies is the adoption of the circular economy concept in the industrial sector, which aims to close the loop of all waste streams generated and attain zero-waste production.

To this end, the BioreFISH project seeks to apply the circular economy concept to the aquaculture sector, with a two-fold objective. The first goal is to add value to fish by-products that are not intended for human or animal consumption, while the second objective is to produce biostimulants with agronomic value. Specifically, the targeted biostimulants are protein hydrolysates and collagen derived from fish waste, which will be produced using Solid-State Fermentation (SSF) and Solid-State Enzymatic Hydrolysis (SSEH) technologies.

The project will aim to minimize water and energy consumption, and the technology used will be simple but robust, designed to be easy to install and operate by producing companies while effectively auto-managing their waste.

The process proposed by BioreFISH is an alternative to current methods of managing fish waste and will generate bioproducts that are of interest to the primary sector, thus expanding market opportunities from waste and by-products generated in the aquaculture sector. Additionally, it is expected to create new job opportunities in the surrounding areas of the processing plants, inducing the creation of wealth and high-quality jobs, particularly in rural areas. The techniques applied will also be sustainable and safe, avoiding the use of toxic and pollutant solvents.

In conclusion, the BioreFISH project represents an innovative approach to managing fish waste in the aquaculture sector. By applying the circular economy concept and using advanced technologies, it is possible to generate bioproducts that can create new market and job opportunities while being safe, sustainable, and eco-friendly.
This project is linked to the Knowledge Industry grants (Llavor i Producte) and has the support of the Department of Research and Universities of the Generalitat de Catalunya.