Turning seafood ‘waste’ into revenue is easier said than done, but more and more businesses are tackling the challenge. One great example is Silver Sea Seafoods, an Australian-owned family business based on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland. They’ve recently launched a new prawn stock made from wild-caught Australian Eastern King Prawns. They also own and operate an 18m prawn trawler based in Mooloolaba, supplying prawns to domestic and international markets.

The business has been actively exploring ways to unlock new income opportunities and increase catch value. As part of this strategy, they have identified an opportunity to repurpose prawn shells & heads —typically discarded as waste — into a premium prawn stock, thus creating an entirely new, marketable product.

The new prawn stock is shelf-stable, the first of its type, and is made in Queensland using 100% Australian ingredients. Close the Loop developed the fully recyclable packaging, aligning with Silver Seas circular economy principles of innovation and waste recovery. The packaging was a recent finalist at the 2025 Hive awards.

Retaining prawn heads and shells to produce the stock has provided an additional revenue stream for the business and crew, and has gained support from local fishers, many who now retain their prawn waste to supply to the business. Market demand for the prawn stock is growing too, and it is currently available in seafood retailers, boutique supermarkets, and other stores In Queensland, New South Wales & Victoria. On the back of this growing demand Silver Seas expect to grow further nationally in the coming months.

What do you think about turning seafood waste into revenue?

Do you have your own ideas for adding value to the catch? What assistance do you need to progress your ideas?

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