Abstract
Worldwide, fish industry wastes are an important contaminant having an impact on the environment.
The recovery of value added products from these residues constitutes an important waste reduction
strategy for the industry. In East Africa, Nile perch fish processing into chilled fish fillet for export along
Lake Victoria generate large proportions of both solid and liquid wastes. However, no thorough auditing
and characterization of the waste has been done that would guide potential value addition through
bioconversions and waste management. Auditing by surveying and mapping the fish processing
industries was conducted along the lake. Waste quantification was done using specific guidelines for
assessment of fish wastes. Analysis of the waste was carried out using standard methods. Annual solid
waste and wastewater generation was estimated at 36,000 tonnes and 1,838,000 m
3, respectively. The
wastewater generated was high strength with a total chemical oxygen demand of 12,400 mg/l and solid
content of 5,580 mg/l. The wastewater contained 6,160 mg/l of lipids and 2,000 mg/l of protein. The
Nutrient content was 20 mg/l of total phosphorous, 340 mg/l organic nitrogen and 61 mg/l of ammonia
nitrogen. The current fish waste management systems in place were found to be neither efficient nor
profitable, thus profitable options of fish waste utilization and waste reduction strategies are
imperative. Modern and economically viable options of fish waste value addition, decision scheme and
waste reduction strategies have been highlighted in this paper. In conclusion, large amounts of fish
waste generated are a rich source of lipids and proteins, which could be utilized for production of value
added products through bioconversions
