Pengenalan Diversifikasi Hasil Samping Produk Perikanan pada Masyarakat Pesisir Labuhan Deli, Medan Marelan, Sumatera Utara

Abstract

This community service program aims to introduce the diversification and downstream processing of marine fisheries by-products in Labuhan Deli Subdistrict, Medan Marelan, North Sumatra, to utilize natural resources and improve community income sustainably. The potential of marine fisheries in this area is vast, but the use of by-products such as fish skin, fins, and bones remains very limited. These by-products, often considered waste, are not optimally processed, even though they can be transformed into high-value products such as chitosan, gelatin, chitin, fish sauce, and fish meal. The program activities are carried out in several stages, including outreach on the processing of marine fisheries by-products, introduction to the processing of marine fisheries by-products, and concluding with a Focus Group Discussion (FGD) to plan follow-up actions.. The training activities were attended by 40 participants, including fishermen, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) activities, Family Welfare Empowerment (FWE) mothers, and local Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) active in the coastal area, while the FGD was attended by 21 participants. The results showed an increased interest from the community in processing fishery by-products, with 91% of respondents providing positive feedback. This program is expected to reduce the community’s dependence on fluctuating primary fisheries products and open new economic opportunities through the utilization of by-products. The activities also involved the government and local partners to ensure the sustainability and future development of the program.