Surimi is produced by widely varying processes, but nearly all processes include certain basic steps, usually in the following order: deboning, gutting, skinning, and filleting the fish, mincing the fish flesh, washing the fish flesh with water, separating the wash water from the fish flesh, refining the fish flesh to remove impurities and connective tissue, dewatering the fish flesh, blending the fish flesh with cryoprotectants, and freezing the fish flesh. It is to be appreciated that there are variations that can be employed. For example, the wash and separate steps may be performed a multitude of times, so too can the refining and dewatering steps. In the case where the surimi is expected to be used within a few days of production, the blending and freezing steps would not be necessary. It is also to be appreciated that surimi is an intermediate product. Surimi is used in making a variety of consumer end products such as kamaboko and artificial crabmeat. The major component of surimi is myofibrillar protein. The wash, separate, refine, and dewater steps are aimed at removing impurities in an effort to concentrate the more valuable, gel forming myofibrillar protein. Impurities such as blood, cartilage, connective tissue, skin, tendon, ligaments, and water-soluble sarcoplasmic proteins are removed in the wash, separate, and refining steps. The optimal water content can be achieved in the dewater step. An ongoing problem is the loss of the desirable myofibrillar protein with the wash water. The loss of myofibrillar proteins not only reduces the overall yield of surimi product, but the protein is often discarded with the wash water. If the wash water ends up in the ocean, the protein will add to the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and result in less dissolved oxygen in the ocean. Reduced oxygen levels in the ocean can lead to the death of aquatic life including fish. Because the myofibrillar proteins are both insoluble and denser than seawater, they sink to the ocean floor where they accumulate. The process of biological oxidation can kill the animals that make up the benthic community through oxygen deprivation.