Transforming fish processing waste into resources for the production of fish feed and improving the efficiency of Cuban aquaculture — this is the goal achieved in the city of Sancti Spíritus through the IPEPAC project, led by the Department of Agricultural, Food, Environmental and Forestry Sciences and Technologies (DAGRI) of the University of Florence, in collaboration with the Cuban Ministry of the Food Industry (MINAL), GEIA, and the fishery company PESCASPIR, and financed by Italian Cooperation (MAECI-AICS).
Launched in 2019, the project has developed a production line capable of processing up to 10 tons of fish residues per day (heads, bones, skins, viscera), transforming them into silage to be mixed with protein flours for fish feed. The model, based on circular economy principles, is sustainable and replicable in other parts of the island, increasing the availability of essential proteins and lipids for the health of both fish and the Cuban population. On October 28, in Sancti Spíritus, a final public event will take place to share the project’s results and promote its replicability at the international level.
“IPEPAC is driving a positive transformation of Cuban aquaculture by closing the production cycle through the recovery of fish and agricultural by-products. It is a unique industrial model, replicable in other regions,” said Antonio Festa, Head of the AICS Office in Havana.
Giuliana Parisi, DAGRI professor and project coordinator, emphasized:“Our goal was to increase fish availability in Cuba and promote the sustainable development of saltwater aquaculture, with potential for national replication”, meanwhile, Francesco Garbati (DAGRI researcher) added:“We have developed an original solution that can also be applied in other contexts. Of particular importance is the ability of Cuban technicians to manage complex systems with simple means.”
