The U.S. want to reduce the use of fish in fish feed
The U.S. national Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) are asking the public for suggestions and ideas that could lead to the reduction of the current reliance on fish-based feeds for the aquaculture industry. Over the next year, these organizations will seek to develop new and effective ingredients for feed for the aquaculture industry. In addition to public input, the process will include research projects, scientific consultations and a national workshop on the subject.
The world supply of fish-based raw materials for aqua-feeds is not increasing, as the fisheries for these raw materials are pretty much fully subscribed, as are most of the world's fisheries for food fish. Given the increased demand for healthy seafood, additional product must come from aquaculture, which will require more fish feed.
In 2005, Pike reported that 46 per cent of the world supply of fish meal was being used for the culture of aquatic animals, and 81 per cent of the world's fish oil. Given that most species of cultured fish convert fish meal to edible protein much better than conventional livestock, one can only expect that more of the supply of fish meal will be used to feed fish rather than poultry and pigs in the future. But there still will be only so much fish meal to go around.
The price of fish meal has also risen rapidly in recent years, so there are additional reasons for aquaculturists to look for new and efficient raw materials for making fish feed.
