Tuna by-products for human food in the Pacific

1. Tuna by-products for human food in the Pacific Tim Pickering SPC SPC/IFREMER Seminar on fish waste utilizationJune 11th 2012, Nouméa, NC

2. Definitions: • If tuna parts are being used for human food, then it is not a “waste” • The likelihood of making alternative products from tuna by-products decrease if they are being used for human food • One of three strategies to provide fish for food security is to have more of the oceanic fisheries catch landed and consumed domestically (Fisheries and CC Workshop)

3. Regional example: Fiji • Tuna heads and skeletons are sold in Suva supermarkets for human food

4. Fiji tuna heads • There is meat inside it, and it is cheap (FJD 2.50) • But there are cold-chain issues that need to be addressed

5. Fish dust (saw meat) • Even the fish dust can be sold for $1.00, as pet food

6. Solomon Islands - soltfish • Reject tuna that is too low grade for export processing is sold in markets locally as “soltfish” • These ones were SBD 40 or about SBD 8 per kg

7. Soltfish • The quantity of solt fish in Honiara recently was 4x the quantity of fresh fish • There are health issues – not fresh, and high in salt

8. Conclusion • Tuna by-products already make a contribution toward food security in the Pacific • Interventions are needed to ensure that the by-product intended for human food is treated as a PRODUCT

9. Conclusion: