Marine Biologists Propose Extracting Collagen From Jellyfish Bycatch

Marine biologists from the Catholic University of Valencia in Spain have proposed a method to extract collagen from jellyfish bycatch, transforming a common fishing nuisance into a high-value biomaterial.

The research, published in the journal Frontiers in Marine Science, identifies jellyfish as a sustainable source of pure marine collagen. This material has various applications across the cosmetics, medicine and food industries.

Jellyfish are frequently captured accidentally in fishing nets, where they are typically treated as waste. Because these creatures are often seen as a burden to commercial fishing operations, the research aims to create a zero-waste system that supports small-scale fisheries by providing a usable resource from bycatch.

Environmental and Operational Impacts

The increase in jellyfish populations is linked to environmental shifts, specifically warming oceans and the effects of overfishing. As these populations grow, they appear more frequently in net fisheries, creating significant logistical challenges for fishing guilds.

The presence of jellyfish in nets increases the amount of labor and time required for fishers to sort through their catch. The invertebrates can damage the nets themselves and leave less room for the capture of commercially valuable fish.

Raquel Torres, a PhD student at the Institute of Environment and Marine Science Research at the Catholic University of Valencia and a co-author of the study, noted that these challenges can be reimagined as opportunities.

Our research is important because it shows that environmental challenges can sometimes become opportunities when approached creatively and collaboratively,

Raquel Torres

Torres further explained the operational difficulties caused by the invertebrates, stating that Jellyfish bycatch is often seen as a nuisance for fishers because it damages nets, increases workload, and can reduce the value of commercial catches.

Biomaterial Quality and Sustainability

A central focus of the study was to ensure that the extraction process does not degrade the material. The researchers aimed to demonstrate that collagen sourced from bycatch could be extracted without compromising the quality of the biomaterial.

By validating the quality of the collagen, the researchers suggest that jellyfish bycatch can transition from a waste product to a sustainable economic asset. This approach allows fisheries to recoup some of the losses associated with bycatch while providing the biotechnology and cosmetics sectors with a sustainable alternative to traditional collagen sources.