Led by B2E – CoLAB for Blue Bioeconomy, the initiative seeks to create a smart platform designed to optimise the use of marine by-products, which are often overlooked in traditional processing methods.
The project represents a positive step towards enhancing sustainability within Portugal’s marine sector. According to Maria Coelho, coordinator of B2E CoLAB, “Fish Matter is a direct response to the underutilisation of raw materials and the urgent need to establish innovative and sustainable circular economy processes.” Coelho hopes that the project will have positive and influential effects on both the Portuguese economy and society.
Central to the project is the development of an intelligent matchmaking platform. This tool aims to connect different stakeholders within the blue bioeconomy, including by-product generators, processors, and technology providers. By facilitating these connections, the platform hopes to foster strategic partnerships that can lead to the creation of high-value products from previously discarded materials, such as fish heads, viscera, skins, and shells.
The European Commission’s Action Plan for the Circular Economy has allowed for initiatives like Fish Matter to play a crucial role in promoting sustainable innovation. The platform's potential to catalyse new markets and products through advanced matchmaking algorithms is highlighted as a key feature. “This approach will foster the creation of new products and markets, leveraging innovative approaches and promoting a true circular economy,” Coelho added.
The project’s goals extend beyond reducing waste. It also aims to deepen the understanding of the by-products generated in the blue bioeconomy sector and to identify new technologies for their utilisation. By doing so, the initiative seeks to uncover opportunities within various industries, including biomedical, cosmetic, chemical, and food sectors.
Fish Matter is a collaborative effort involving several research institutions, including Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR), Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA), Porto School of Engineering (ISEP), the University of Aveiro, and the University of Minho. The project is part of the broader Blue Bioeconomy Pact, which is funded by Portugal's Recovery and Resilience Plan.
As Portugal continues to pursue sustainable development goals, initiatives like “Fish Matter, from head to tail” could play a critical role in reducing waste and creating new economic opportunities within the marine sector. The project hopes to position the country at the forefront of innovative and sustainable blue bioeconomy practices.
