Local filmmaker Dave Kaplan recently teamed up with fisheries correspondent Laine Welch to produce the film “Alaska Salmon from Byproducts to New Products.”

“We’re throwing away millions of dollars in fish waste. It’s time to make the leap from sustainability to full utilization,” said Welch, who wrote and narrated the film. Alf Pryor edited the film.

According to the Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation (AFDF) approximately 2 million metric tons of fish were harvested annually in Alaska waters during the past five years. Given a moderate recovery rate of 25 percent, up to .75 million tons of processing byproducts are generated annually. Much of these byproducts are ground to a specified size and discharged into nearby waters.

The movie highlights the ways fish waste can be turned into useful and profitable products. Fish oil, fish meal, fertilizer, fish films used to package food, beauty products such as cosmetics made from fish scales and purses, bikinis, high heels and other products made from fish skin are some examples of potential uses of fish waste.

“Fish hatcheries in Alaska are buying $20 million of fish feed from the East Coast every year, while Kodiak’s fish meal is being exported to Asian markets,” Welch said.

“The Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation contacted us to do the movie. It’s truly a local production, produced, filmed and edited right here in Kodiak,” Kaplan said. Alf Pryor edited the film.

“Alaska Salmon from Byproducts to New Products” will be unveiled at the Seafood Processing Byproducts Symposium to be held in Portland, Ore., Feb. 25-26.

It’s clear that Kodiak is in the forefront of fishery byproduct research, for five of the presenters at the symposium are researchers from the Kodiak Fisheries Industrial Technology Center.

“We have everything we need right here on Kodiak to more fully utilize our fish products-a vibrant fishing fleet, processing infrastructure and technology research facilities,” Welch said.