Unlocking Hidden ValueOverview
Full Catch is an innovative waste-upcycling and resource-management program that transforms the Gulf of Mexico's underutilized seafood processing stream into high-value products.
By redefining what counts as 'commercially viable' seafood, Full Catch creates new revenue opportunities for fishers, processors, and retailers — while reducing waste, strengthening coastal economies, and aligning with climate goals.
In the Gulf South Seafood System.
Why It
Matters
40% of U.S. seafood is wasted before reaching consumers.
The Gulf fishery is undervalued due to a narrow definition of marketable species.
Current waste use is 'low-bar' (animal feed, landfill) — missing massive value-added potential.
By maximizing every catch, we support working fishers, reduce imports, and build a circular food economy.
Program Approach
Four Levels of Value
Direct Table Value
Utilization of cuts like collars, wings, tails and cheeks. Byproducts (carcasses, offal, shrimp shells/heads). Applications include cook and serve, dips, sauces, stocks and other retail-ready items.
New Edible Products
Ground fish, fermented fish sauces & pastes, cured roe, bone and shrimp-shell powder.
Expanding Species
Forage species (e.g. thread herring, anchovy, sardine) as well as other underutilized species (e.g. blackfin tuna, horse-eye jack, mullet, blue runner, jack crevalle). Applications include canning, drying, smoking, aging.
Beyond Food
Industrial products, bio-inputs for agriculture, materials science, tissue engineering.
Opportunities for
Collaboration
Food Companies & Chefs
Co-create new Gulf products and expand markets.
Investors & Innovators
Scale processing infrastructure and product development.
Researchers & NGOs
Advance circular-economy science and consumer education.
Policy Partners
Build frameworks that incentivize waste upcycling and species diversification.
Impact
Goals
- Increase fisher income & market resilience
- Reduce seafood waste and imports
- Create sustainable, climate-aligned products
- Strengthen Gulf Coast communities
Get Involved
Full Catch is led by Dana Honn, Founder, through the Southern Food Foundation.
dana@southernfoodfoundation.org
