Converting Pacific Whiting Carcass Waste to Hydrolyzed, High Protein Fish Meal

The largest groundfish resource for Oregon commercial fisherman is Pacific whiting (Merluccius productus). This fishery is economically important to many rural, coastal communities and in 2000 over 60,000 metric tons of whiting were delivered to Oregon shore-based processors. Processing Pacific whiting generates very large amounts of carcass waste. Over 70 percent of the landed weight of fish is discarded and in recent years disposal of this material has become problematic and expensive. Presently, expansion of shore-based processing of whiting is unlikely without first solving the problem of waste disposal. One solution to this problem is to use Pacific whiting scrap as a raw material for higher value products. Our Phase I research successfully demonstrated that it is economically and technically feasible to convert whiting scrap into both hydrolyzed and non-hydrolyzed, high protein fish meals. The goal of our Phase II proposal is determine if converting Pacific whiting carcass waste into hydrolyzed and non- hydrolyzed high protein fish meal can be a profitable commercial endeavor. Our research will focus on how best to produce commercial scale quantities of consistent quality fish meals from whiting scrap that meet the nutritional and physical criteria for high value use in aquaculture agriculture and horticulture.