Many fishmongers are unaware that they are discarding potential sources of income by tossing out fish scales, bones, skins and bladders, which could be worth millions of shillings on local and international markets, according to officials at the Kenya Fisheries Department.
According to research published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health and other journals, there are many ways to use fish waste to generate income depending on local market demand, availability of resources and the technical know-how of the individual or community involved.
For example, fish waste can be used to produce high-quality organic fertilizer. During the composting process, the organic matter in the fish waste breaks down, releasing nutrients that are essential to plant growth. This organic fertilizer can be sold to farmers, landscapers and gardeners.
In addition, fish waste can also be processed into fish meal, which is a high-protein feed ingredient used in aquaculture and livestock feed. It can also be used in aquaponics as a fertilizer for plants that purify the water; it can be made into biogas, a renewable energy source that generates electricity or heat through anaerobic digestion; and the collagen found in fish waste can be used in the production of cosmetics and medical products.
On Lake Victoria, local communities are also finding that fish waste can be converted into oil through a process called rendering, which involves heating the waste to break down fats and oils. Afterward, the oil can be used to make biodiesel, omega-3 supplements and cosmetics. This production method has lower costs and a reduced environmental impact compared with traditional fish oil production.
Despite having a decade of experience in the fishing industry, Lucy Akinyi a Lake Victoria fishmonger, said she is ignorant of the concept of omega-3 fatty acids, commonly known as fish oil, being produced from the wastes she discards.
Alice Aluoch, another fishmonger, revealed that she sells only the fish meat and removes the scales with a knife, resulting in up to a 20-liter bucket of waste she discards each day.
At a fish market with hundreds of fishmongers, this results in tons of waste being discarded each day.
Over the years, experts have grappled with how to dispose of the matter. This is in order to save the lake, which is already choked with pollution posing a threat to humans and aquatic life. According to the United Nations Environment Program, Lake Victoria faces various forms of pollution, including agricultural, which results in harmful algal blooms through eutrophication.
The lake also suffers from industrial pollution such as heavy metals, chemicals and other toxic substances. High levels of waste from human settlements, including sewage and solid waste, lead to the spread of waterborne diseases and invasive species such as water hyacinth. Along with invasive Nile perch, these species have left significant ecological impacts on the lake, including the displacement of native species and changes to the lake’s food web.
Source: Mongabay
According to research published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health and other journals, there are many ways to use fish waste to generate income depending on local market demand, availability of resources and the technical know-how of the individual or community involved.
For example, fish waste can be used to produce high-quality organic fertilizer. During the composting process, the organic matter in the fish waste breaks down, releasing nutrients that are essential to plant growth. This organic fertilizer can be sold to farmers, landscapers and gardeners.
In addition, fish waste can also be processed into fish meal, which is a high-protein feed ingredient used in aquaculture and livestock feed. It can also be used in aquaponics as a fertilizer for plants that purify the water; it can be made into biogas, a renewable energy source that generates electricity or heat through anaerobic digestion; and the collagen found in fish waste can be used in the production of cosmetics and medical products.
On Lake Victoria, local communities are also finding that fish waste can be converted into oil through a process called rendering, which involves heating the waste to break down fats and oils. Afterward, the oil can be used to make biodiesel, omega-3 supplements and cosmetics. This production method has lower costs and a reduced environmental impact compared with traditional fish oil production.
Despite having a decade of experience in the fishing industry, Lucy Akinyi a Lake Victoria fishmonger, said she is ignorant of the concept of omega-3 fatty acids, commonly known as fish oil, being produced from the wastes she discards.
Alice Aluoch, another fishmonger, revealed that she sells only the fish meat and removes the scales with a knife, resulting in up to a 20-liter bucket of waste she discards each day.
At a fish market with hundreds of fishmongers, this results in tons of waste being discarded each day.
Over the years, experts have grappled with how to dispose of the matter. This is in order to save the lake, which is already choked with pollution posing a threat to humans and aquatic life. According to the United Nations Environment Program, Lake Victoria faces various forms of pollution, including agricultural, which results in harmful algal blooms through eutrophication.
The lake also suffers from industrial pollution such as heavy metals, chemicals and other toxic substances. High levels of waste from human settlements, including sewage and solid waste, lead to the spread of waterborne diseases and invasive species such as water hyacinth. Along with invasive Nile perch, these species have left significant ecological impacts on the lake, including the displacement of native species and changes to the lake’s food web.
Source: Mongabay
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