Increasing demand for marine ingredients as feed

The inclusion of fishmeal and fish oil in feed is vital and any talk of removing marine ingredients in feed is “shortsighted” according to Enrico Bachis, market research director at IFFO. In March, IntraFish wrote that the demand for aquafeed is expected to grow from 14 million metric tonnes in 2000 to 65 million tonnes by 2020. Even though the percentage of fishmeal and fish oil in aquafeed has declined from 24 % to 7 % during this period, the great increase in demand for such feed ingredients implies that the use of fishmeal and fish oil in feed is vital.

In February, SeafoodSource posted an article about NWAA’s (Northwest Aquaculture Alliance) board member and fish health expert Hugh Mitchell who believes that “Aquaculture is being unfairly demonized.” He speaks in favour of fish farming and has said to SeafoodSource: “I think aquaculture is the key to saving the aquatic ecosystems. It’s not a threat by any means.” With the expected growth in aquaculture, it is time to acknowledge the positive effects of aquaculture and its important contribution to feed a growing global population, as well as the need for fishmeal and fish oil as important feed ingredients to meet this demand.

Read more here:
From IntraFish: IFFO: It’s ‘shortsighted’ to remove fishmeal entirely from feed
From SeafoodSource: NWAA’s Hugh Mitchell: Aquaculture is being unfairly demonized