VASEACAD stands for VAlorising SEAfood side streams, residues, unwanted CAtches and Discards for production of bioactive protein hydrolysates and high added value biomolecules
VASECAD is a 3-year-long project funded under 2nd Call of the Sustainable Blue Economy Partnership 2024 – Unified paths to a climate-neutral, sustainable, and resilient blue economy: engaging civil society, academia, policy, and industry. VASEACAD project started in July, 2025.
VASEACAD envisions a future where seafood side streams are no longer treated as waste, but recognised as valuable resources within a fully circular blue economy.
By advancing sustainable bioprocessing and fostering collaboration across science, industry, and policy, the project aims to transform the aquaculture and fisheries sectors into more resource-efficient, innovative, and environmentally responsible systems that deliver long-term benefits for society, the economy, and marine ecosystems.
Across Europe, aquaculture and fisheries generate significant volumes of seafood side streams that remain underutilised or are diverted to low-value uses, despite their rich content in valuable biomolecules. This challenge is particularly pronounced in regions such as the Mediterranean and Black Sea, where side streams are fragmented and produced in smaller quantities, making efficient collection and processing difficult. At the same time, there is a growing need to transition towards more sustainable and circular production systems, while bridging the gap between research innovation and real-world industrial application. VASEACAD addresses these interconnected challenges by unlocking the value of marine biomass and enabling its sustainable and scalable use.
VASEACAD aims to transform seafood side streams into high-value bio-based products while enhancing the sustainability, efficiency, and circularity of the aquaculture and fisheries sectors. By unlocking the potential of underutilised marine biomass, the project contributes to more responsible resource use and supports the transition towards a circular blue economy.
To achieve this, VASEACAD focuses on several key objectives:
Through these objectives, VASEACAD seeks to deliver practical, scalable solutions that support innovation, sustainability, and long-term impact in the European blue bioeconomy.
The diagram illustrates the project’s progression from the processing of fish by-products from various species and pilot-scale testing, through biorefinery processes and prototype development, to comprehensive sustainability assessment and impact-driven activities.
Together, the six work packages create an integrated workflow that connects advanced research with practical demonstration, ultimately delivering long-term benefits for the blue economy.
Coordination and management.
Generation of bioactive hydrolysates from European sprat and blue whiting to target muscle and skin related inflammaging.
Valorising side streams from the Mediterranean Sea aquaculture using pilot scale equipment.
Validating, tailoring, and optimizing of sustainable novel feeds for commercially important European farmed fish by leveraging inter-species recycling.
Economic Viability Analysis, LCA and environmental sustainability.
Dissemination, Collaboration, and Stakeholder Engagement.