Market
Fish meal in Thailand is produced for use as an animal-feed ingredient, especially for aquaculture feed. Thailand’s Department of Fisheries describes the sector as supplied by two main raw-material streams: so-called “trash fish” from capture fisheries and by-products from fish processing. The Department of Fisheries also describes an e-traceability and catch-certification approach intended to prevent IUU-sourced inputs from entering fish meal plants and exports. A voluntary fish-meal certification program launched with public-private cooperation is described as aligning improvement efforts with the IFFO RS standard and IFFO’s Improver Programme.
Market RoleDomestic producer and domestic consumption market (animal-feed ingredient)
Domestic RoleB2B input for aquafeed and other feed manufacturing
Market GrowthNot Mentioned
Risks
Regulatory Compliance HighIUU fishing compliance failures are a potential deal-breaker for Thailand-linked marine supply chains: the EU issued an IUU “yellow card” warning to Thailand in April 2015 and lifted it on 8 January 2019 after reforms, illustrating that market access pressure can escalate toward restrictions if shortcomings persist.Require documented end-to-end traceability for capture-fish inputs to fish meal plants (e.g., TFCC-linked records where applicable), maintain audit-ready evidence of legal sourcing, and monitor EU DG MARE/IUU compliance updates relevant to Thai fisheries products.
Labor & Human Rights HighThailand’s fishing and seafood sectors have been the subject of labor-rights scrutiny, including forced-labour indicators affecting migrant workers; downstream buyers may impose enhanced due diligence, certifications, or disengage if credible allegations arise in upstream fishing linked to fish meal raw material.Implement supplier human-rights due diligence for vessel and landing-site practices, verify worker recruitment and contract conditions via credible third-party audits, and align grievance mechanisms with ILO-referenced risk areas.
Sustainability MediumFish meal supply dependent on reduction fisheries (“trash fish”) can face sustainability scrutiny related to overfishing, bycatch, and ecosystem impacts, potentially affecting acceptance in responsible sourcing programs.Prioritize by-product-based fish meal where feasible, participate in improvement programs referenced by Thai authorities (e.g., IFFO RS-aligned initiatives), and document fishery management and raw-material sourcing composition.
Sustainability- IUU fishing risk and ongoing governance expectations for marine supply chains
- Overfishing and ecosystem impacts linked to reduction-fish (“trash fish”) inputs used in fish meal supply
Labor & Social- Thailand’s fishing and seafood sectors have documented labor-rights risks involving migrant workers, including forced-labour indicators and recruitment-related vulnerabilities (risk is reputational and can trigger buyer delisting or enhanced due diligence demands)
- Worker voice, grievance mechanisms, and enforcement consistency remain recurring themes in Thailand fishing/seafood labor assessments
Standards- IFFO RS (Responsible Supply) and IFFO Improver Programme alignment efforts referenced by Thailand’s Department of Fisheries for fish meal supply-chain improvement