Utilization of fish waste for the production of biotechnological enzymes by microorganisms

The fermentation of fish industry residues emerges as a sustainable alternative for producing industrially relevant products, reducing environmental impacts while adding value to by-products. Fish skin is composed of proteins that can serve as metabolic sources for microorganisms, inducing the secretion of enzymes such as proteases. However, the production of enzymes from these residues remains underexploited by the industry. This study aims to investigate the use of microorganisms capable of secreting proteases from fishery residues through a systematic review of the PubMed, Web of Science, SCOPUS, and Google Scholar databases between 1938 and 2024, which resulted in the selection of only seven articles and one patent on the subject. Microorganisms such as Bacillus subtilis, Halobacillus sp., Streptomyces sp., and Paenibacillus elgii demonstrated potential for the synthesis of proteases and metalloproteases under optimized pH, temperature, and aeration conditions. The results show high enzymatic yield and stability, with applications in the food, pharmaceutical, and biotechnological sectors, although few studies have been reported. It is concluded that the use of fishery residues through fermentation represents a viable strategy for generating bioproducts and promoting sustainability.