Fishmeal and fish oil
The need to provide fish as feed for other fish has been seen as a challenge to the growth of the aquaculture sector given that the amount of fish that can be produced annually from the world is finite.
Fishmeal is an essential ingredient in almost all forms of finfish aquaculture requiring feed, even if only early in the lifecycle.
Fishmeal is the brown flour obtained after cooking, pressing, drying and milling whole fish and food fish trimmings. Use of whole fish is almost exclusively from small, bony species of pelagic fish (generally living in the surface waters or middle depths of the sea). UN FAO says that 90% of the fish used to make fishmeal and oil is 'presently unmarketable in large quantities as human food'. Fishmeal production also provides a major outlet to recycle trimmings from the food fish processing sector, which might otherwise be dumped at extra cost to the environment and the consumer. In 2008, 38% of fishmeal consumed in the UK was produced from trimmings (trade estimates). Worldwide, the proportion is believed to be lower.
Seafish supports the fishmeal industry through the provision of news and sustainability information.
Updates on the status of feed fish stocks:
- Annual review March 2012 issue
- Quick summary of ICES advice June and October 2011 for the six key pelagic species used in fishmeal production.
Latest news
- Latest news and reports relevant to the feed fisheries sector December 2011 to February 2012
- Latest news and reports relevant to the feed fisheries sector September 2011 to November 2011
- Latest news and reports relevant to the feed fisheries sector June 2011 to August 2011
- Latest news and reports relevant to the feed fisheries sector March 2011 to May 2011
Fishmeal and fish oil facts and figures:
Key papers:
IFFO paper Fish In - Fish Out (FIFO) Ratios explained
Links:
FAO - United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organisation
ICES - International Council for the Exploration of the Sea
FIN - Fishmeal Information Network
IFFO - The International Fishmeal and Fish Oil Organisation
For further information contact:
Karen Green
Industry Environmental Communications
e: k_green@seafish.co.uk
t: 07515 993499
Aquaculture waste
Waste fish and shellfish are classed as animal by-products. They are required to be disposed of through approved routes. This includes waste generated from an aquaculture facility.