The US company turns fish fat and cooking oil into a fuel replacement for number 6 heating oil, which is a syrupy, tar-like substance used to power industrial buildings, ocean liners and tankers. It has been known to collect at the water's edge and cause wildlife mortalities.
The fish fat used comes primarily from catfish producers, but Sweetwater is looking for fat from any fatty species, from salmon to dogfish to lake trout.
With hopes to up its 80 million gallon production rate by 50 percent this year, Alabama-based Sweetwater is “always looking for new facilities,” Sweetwater Biofuels Director of Marketing and Communications Bob Hiller told IntraFish.
"If we see a big enough opportunity within a particular market, we could come to that market and build a facility," he said.
In the past, it took over an old plant that was formerly used by US premium catfish producer, Delta Pride.
Sweetwater buys the fat for $0.10 (€0.08) to $0.50 (€0.38) per pound, but the economic gain is greater when considering themoney saved in waste transport costs.
Once the word got out in Boston, Hiller said interest in the company’s offerings began to increase.
“We were in a very quiet corner of that show, and at first I was thinking ‘are we going to be standing by ourselves for three days?’” Hiller said. “And all the sudden, word started to get around; ‘there are some guys at 390 that will pay you for your waste.’”
In the wake of the show, calls of interest have streamed in.
“We’re providing jobs, we’re bringing in the green industry and we’re taking care of this waste problem that no one has ever been able to do anything about,” Hiller said.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) A project titled "Sustainable Shrimp Industry Governance" has been launched in Ca Mau Province with the aim of supporting the transition of the province's shrimp industry toward higher quality, lower emissions, stronger governance capacity, improved supply chain traceability, and the development of a sustainable shrimp brand that meets the increasingly stringent requirements of export markets.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Khanh Hoa Provincial Agricultural Extension Center, in collaboration with the Northern Center for Marine Aquaculture Research and the Van Hung Public Service Center, recently organized a training course on disease-free golden pompano seed production. The program is part of a National Agricultural Extension Project aimed at developing industrial-scale seed production models to support sustainable marine aquaculture.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s pangasius exports have shown encouraging signs of recovery in 2026. In the first four months of the year, total export turnover reached USD 720 million, up 17% compared to the same period last year. This result reflects improving demand across many markets, as well as the efforts of Vietnamese pangasius enterprises to maintain production, secure orders, and adapt to changing market conditions.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The application of high technology in shrimp farming is delivering positive results in the coastal areas of Vinh Long Province, contributing to improved production efficiency and creating significant potential for further industry expansion. However, to fully capitalize on this potential, the province is focusing on aquaculture zoning, infrastructure investment, and promoting modern, sustainable production.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Đồng Tháp Province has intensified efforts to curb illegal fishing by strengthening vessel monitoring, law enforcement and seafood traceability.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Seafood businesses need solutions to overcome bottlenecks such as labor shortages, difficulty accessing capital, high input costs, and administrative procedures in order to maintain production, adapt to market fluctuations, and effectively exploit export opportunities.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The FTA would widen access to markets with strong demand for premium food products in line with the country’s strategy of shifting exports towards increasing added value.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On the morning of July 13th, Mr. Ho Quoc Dung, Member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam and Deputy Prime Minister, along with his delegation, visited and worked with businesses in An Giang province to promptly resolve obstacles and promote production and business activities.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) As importing markets increasingly focus on biosecurity and traceability, Vietnam has established a relatively comprehensive legal framework and disease management system for aquaculture, covering tilapia farming as well as other cultured species. This system is based on the Law on Animal Health, regulations on the prevention and control of aquatic animal diseases, the National Plan for the Prevention and Control of Major Diseases in Farmed Aquatic Species, and environmental monitoring and early warning programs for aquaculture areas.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On July 9, 2026, the Embassy of Vietnam in Brazil organized the seminar titled “Sharing Information on Vietnam-Brazil Economic, Trade and Investment Relations in the First Half of 2026” to provide updates on bilateral cooperation and strengthen connections among government agencies, industry associations, and business communities of the two countries.
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