TANNING OF CATFISH SKIN: TRADITIONAL AND MODERN METHODS

This article analyzes the processing and tanning of catfish skin, its technological stages, and its applications in industrial and handicraft sectors. Fish skin processing is environmentally efficient, playing a significant role in waste reduction and the development of alternative raw materials. The study examines key processes such as skin preparation, cleaning, salting, softening, tanning, drying, and shaping. Traditional and chemical tanning methods are compared, highlighting their advantages and drawbacks. The research findings indicate that the innovative processing of fish skin is both environmentally and economically beneficial.