New publications from the FAO and ICES Journal of Marine Science: Insights from EFFOP

Responsible use of fishmeal in aquaculture. FAO

See here: Responsible use of fishmeal in aquaculture

The report points out that fishmeal is an important ingredient in aquafeeds due to its high protein content, essential amino acids, fatty acids, minerals and vitamins, making it a highly digestible and palatable feed component.

The aquaculture sector is the main consumer of fishmeal and fish oil, although the livestock and pet food industries also use it. However, aquaculture has significantly reduced the use of fishmeal in feed formulations due to cost, sustainability concerns and technological advances.

While the inclusion of fishmeal varies by species and life stage, the overall proportion of fishmeal in aquafeeds has declined. For example, shrimp feed now contains 12% fishmeal (down from >25% in the 1990s), and for salmonids the average inclusion has dropped from 28.8% to 14% over the past decade. Meanwhile, the use of fishmeal in freshwater fish feeds (e.g. tilapia and carp) has been virtually eliminated, except for early life stages.

The authors present four strategies adopted by the sector to ensure sustainable aquaculture:

• Selective use of fishmeal: The use of fishmeal is concentrated in the early growth stages, while alternative proteins are used in the growth stages.
• Improved feed efficiency: technological advances have improved feed formulations, reducing feed conversion ratios from 1.8 – 3.0 to 1.2 – 1.8 over 45 years.
• Promoting low-trophic aquaculture: Promoting filter feeders (e.g., shellfish, algae, and low-input species) can reduce reliance on fishmeal.
• Development of alternative ingredients: plant proteins (soy, wheat, rapeseed), animal by-products and novel proteins (insects, algae, bacteria) are increasingly being used.

The report then highlights some of the challenges associated with replacing fishmeal in farmed species diets:

• Nutritional value: Many substitutes lack the digestibility and palatability of fishmeal, potentially compromising animal health and growth.
• Availability & cost: sustainable alternatives need to be scalable and economically viable.
• Environmental & social impacts: some ingredients compete with human food sources.
• Climate Change & Supply Risks: Rising temperatures can disrupt supply chains and affect the availability of alternative ingredients.

The socio-economic impact of fishmeal and fish oil production in West Africa is the subject of a case study (page 10). It is noted that the West African fishmeal industry has expanded using wild-caught fish, in contrast to global trends that prioritize by-products. The shift to small pelagic fish (e.g. sardinella, bonga) has raised concerns about food security and employment, particularly for women in the post-harvest sector. Although the industry provides employment and foreign exchange earnings, exports limit regional benefits. The FAO recommends balancing economic gains with local nutrition and livelihoods.

Measuring the effectiveness of fisheries management to sustainably produce food. Hilborn et al

See here: Measuring the effectiveness of fisheries management to sustainably produce food

Traditional assessments focus on stock abundance rather than food yield, which this study seeks to address through the development of a Commercial Fisheries Food Production Index (CFFPI). The CFFPI measures the proportion of maximum sustainable yield (MSY) being realized under current fishing pressure. It therefore provides one way to evaluate the performance of national or international fisheries management systems in meeting food production objectives.
The authors calculated CFFPI scores, based on data from 19 nations and five regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs).

The results show that across all assessed stocks, 77% of potential yield is being harvested, with 86% of lost yield due to low fishing pressure and only 14% due to overfishing. International fisheries show similar patterns, with 4% of yield lost to overfishing and 12% to underfishing. This suggests that increasing fishing pressure on underexploited stocks could increase yields, although this may conflict with environmental and political objectives.

The study highlights significant national differences. Iceland, Norway and the Faroe Islands have high CFFPI scores (above 90%), while the US, Australia and New Zealand have lower scores, largely due to precautionary management policies that prioritize environmental concerns over food production. Conversely, Argentina, Japan, and the EU Mediterranean are experiencing higher losses from overfishing.

The scientists highlight a trade-off between maximizing yield and conservation objectives. The authors argue for greater integration of food production metrics into fisheries management assessments, alongside traditional sustainability measures, to better balance economic, social and environmental goals.