Matsyavatar: A Modern Outlook of a Mythological Tale

Fish has always been a staple diet for most of our ancestors as is evident through archaeological studies and continues to be so till this day. Global statistics show that fishery industries contribute greatly in supplying food to the world population. The increase in global total fish capture is attributable to the Asian fishing industry, which has a share of 70% of the world fish production. India is emerging as a leader in global trading of live and processed fish products, with trade values reaching $5 billion in 2014. However, fish processing industries waste about 20–80% of the fish during several phases of processing and final packaging. A major part of this waste, rich in the extracellular matrix protein, collagen, is recycled for production of animal/fish feed, proteases and organic fertilisers. The authors suggest an alternate method of utilising this waste. Several studies done in the last 15 years have identified a number of hidden regions in collagen that when proteolytically excised display specific pharmacological activities. Isolation of such agents from a cheaply available source such as fish processing waste will be economical in the long run when compared to the huge investments (average $2 billion) required to chemically synthesise a new drug. Moreover, it will help fishery industries achieve stability and lead to diminished pollution levels.