Environmental considerations in fish processing

Subasinghe S., . (1997) Environmental considerations in fish processing. [Proceedings Paper]

Fisheries and related processing activities have considerable environmental implications. Growing demand for fish has resulted in a global effort to increase production through improved methods of fishing and aquaculture. However over exploitation has threatened sustainability of some resources emphasising the need for management. Fish resources are also threatened by environmental pollution especially the pollution of coastal waters which serve as feeding and breeding grounds for fish during their early stages of life. Contamination by pollutants also cause concern regarding the safety of some stocks and species as food. Although in fisheries as in agriculture the waste is mainly biological in origin and is readily decomposed it can have very harmful effects on the environment if not disposed of properly. Nearly 40 by weight of around 100 million t of fish landed annually is discarded as fish waste. Furthermore several million t of by-catch mainly caught during shrimp trawling are discarded into the sea. In addition to biological material of fish origin the processing industry and associated ancillary industries also produce packaging waste emissions such as hydrofluorocarbons and also discharge a wide range of chemicals and food additives to the environment. Effects of the environment on the raw material and end product safety are often taken care of by modern quality assurance schemes such as Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point HACCP. Many countries already have legislation on industrial waste disposal though these may not be adequate to curtail non-point sources of discharge. Legal enactments on packaging waste and emissions are being implemented in most developed countries and are in the process of being adopted by many developing countries as well. This may soon become a prerequisite for processing for export to many international markets. Utilization of waste for food and feed is another area now being actively pursued by the fish processing industry.

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Abstract

Fisheries and related processing activities have considerable environmental implications. Growing demand for fish has resulted in a global effort to increase production through improved methods of fishing and aquaculture. However over exploitation has threatened sustainability of some resources emphasising the need for management. Fish resources are also threatened by environmental pollution especially the pollution of coastal waters which serve as feeding and breeding grounds for fish during their early stages of life. Contamination by pollutants also cause concern regarding the safety of some stocks and species as food. Although in fisheries as in agriculture the waste is mainly biological in origin and is readily decomposed it can have very harmful effects on the environment if not disposed of properly. Nearly 40 by weight of around 100 million t of fish landed annually is discarded as fish waste. Furthermore several million t of by-catch mainly caught during shrimp trawling are discarded into the sea. In addition to biological material of fish origin the processing industry and associated ancillary industries also produce packaging waste emissions such as hydrofluorocarbons and also discharge a wide range of chemicals and food additives to the environment. Effects of the environment on the raw material and end product safety are often taken care of by modern quality assurance schemes such as Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point HACCP. Many countries already have legislation on industrial waste disposal though these may not be adequate to curtail non-point sources of discharge. Legal enactments on packaging waste and emissions are being implemented in most developed countries and are in the process of being adopted by many developing countries as well. This may soon become a prerequisite for processing for export to many international markets. Utilization of waste for food and feed is another area now being actively pursued by the fish processing industry.

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Item Type:	Proceedings Paper
Additional Information:	Summary only En
AGROVOC Term:	FISHERIES
AGROVOC Term:	FISHERY PRODUCTS
AGROVOC Term:	FISHERY RESOURCES
AGROVOC Term:	POLLUTION
AGROVOC Term:	CONTAMINATION
AGROVOC Term:	STOCKS
AGROVOC Term:	SPECIES
AGROVOC Term:	HACCP
AGROVOC Term:	INDUSTRIAL WASTES
AGROVOC Term:	LEGISLATION
Geographical Term:	MALAYSIA
Depositing User:	Ms. Norfaezah Khomsan
Last Modified:	24 Apr 2025 05:27
URI:	http://webagris.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/16103

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