Hooked on shortage: how to ensure aquafeed nutrition amid an impending shortage of marine ingredients

As production volumes of valuable species increase and the aquaculture industry transitions to more intensive farming methods, the search for new feed sources will be crucial to ensure security. Global aquaculture production is projected to grow steadily, but ensuring sufficient quantities of omega-3 fatty acids and proteins remains a significant challenge. In this regard, Novel Sharma, a seafood analyst at RaboResearch, stated: "From 2024 to 2033 (Figure 1), production of medium and high-priced aquaculture species will grow at a combined annual growth rate of 3%, leading to an increase of approximately 12 million metric tons over the next decade." This growth will be primarily driven by higher trophic level fish and crustaceans, which rely heavily on wild fisheries as primary dietary sources of protein and lipids. Current supplies of commercial feed ingredients, such as fishmeal and fish oil, will be insufficient at current inclusion rates for this growth to materialize. ...