To　reuse　fish　processing　waste　for　biomedical　materials,　collagen　(Col)　was　extracted　from　silver　carp　skin,　and　Col-chitosan　(Ch)　composite　sponges　were　prepared　by　a　freeze-drying　method.　The　atomic　force　microscopy　and　electrophoresis　results　suggest　the　Col　might　have　been　type　I.　To　obtain　the　optimum　conditions　for　the　manufacture　of　the　Col-Ch　sponges,　the　characteristics　of　sponges　composed　of　different　ratios　of　Col　to　Ch　with　different　crosslinkers　were　evaluated.　Scanning　electron　microscopy　showed　that　the　sponges　had　an　interconnected　network　structure　with　porosity.　Infrared　spectroscopy　demonstrated　that　intermolecular　crosslinkages　between　Col　and　Ch　occurred.　The　swelling　measurements　implied　that　all　of　the　sponges　could　bind　an　18-　to　36-fold　amount　of　distilled　water　and　still　maintain　their　form　and　stability.　When　the　ratio　of　Col　to　Ch　was　higher　than　1:0.25,　the　swelling　and　degradation　rate　decreased　with　increasing　Ch.　Cell　proliferation,　hemolysis,　and　hemostasis　assay　indicated　that　the　sponges　exhibited　noncytotoxicity,　biocompatibility,　nonhemolysis,　and　hemostatic　efficacy.　Overall,　we　concluded　that　the　optimal　ratio　of　Col　and　Ch　for　the　sponges　was　1:0.25,　and　glutaraldehyde　crosslinking　was　more　suitable　than　1-ethyl-3-(3-　dimethylaminopropyl)　carbodiimide　hydrochloride.　These　results　demonstrate　the　potential　application　of　silver　carp　skin　Col-Ch　sponges　for　tissue　engineering　and　wound　dressing　in　non-weight-bearing　tissue.　©　2014　Wiley　Periodicals,　Inc.