Today, much of the fish end up in low value products or to a lesser extent as a direct waste stream. In addition, wastewater from the processing industry in Denmark is discharged into public sewage treatment plants, which is expensive due to the high protein content. To make better use of the side streams, the BlueRev project is analyzing the value chains of the different side streams to identify barriers and opportunities and develop business models that can integrate the side streams into new products and processes. Ultimately, the goal is to create new revenue streams for the industry by transforming the side streams into valuable products such as new foods, supplements or other bio-based products that also support sustainable growth in local coastal communities.

In our region, both Greenland and Denmark are working on barriers to utilizing side streams in the fishing industry. Seen in isolation, it is sensible and valuable to utilize a larger part of the raw material when the fish is caught anyway. In addition, it greatly supports Greenland’s self-sufficiency strategy 2025-2030, which was recently published by Greenland’s Ministry of Agriculture, Self- sufficiency, Energy and Environment.