Cargill, the owner of EWOS, a supplier of feed and nutrition for the international aquaculture industry, has made changes to its business practices to improve its environmental and social sustainability scores.
The company has reduced its marine dependence, is using more fish trimmings and has reduced its greenhouse gas emissions, according to its 2015 sustainability report, released 8 June.
"Consumers want to know where their food is coming from, what it is made of and how it is produced," President Cargill Aqua Nutrition Einar Wathne said. "Whether we are developing new technologies, sourcing new raw materials or innovating new feeds, the need for transparency in everything we do is fundamental. This is why we report to such a detailed extent on our sustainability performance."
EWOS has reduced its marine index, or use of marine protein and oil, in its feed from 55 percent in 2005 to 27 percent in 2015, while increasing feed production by 70 percent over that time.
“In 2015, EWOS was for the first time able to provide feed that gives salmon farmers the opportunity to be net producers of marine protein and marine oil,” the report said.
The company has also increased the use of its fish trimmings by 10 percent over five years, using more animal parts that would typically be discarded.
"Trimmings and by-products from fish are an ideal raw material for fish feed," Wathne said. "It is the natural food for fish, it can often be sourced locally and it upcycles materials that would have otherwise gone to waste into healthy and delicious food."
In addition, the company has invested in renewable energy and more efficient technologies, reducing its greenhouse gas emissions per metric ton of feed produced by 11 percent.
"Salmon is an efficient animal to farm. It has a low feed conversion ratio and yields a high share of fillet, placing it second to only chicken in terms of carbon footprint," Wathne said. "Farmed fish is future-friendly food. We are committed to contribute to sustainable aquaculture by supplying high quality feeds, and as such providing essential protein and fatty acids for a growing world population. Seafood is an important part of a healthy diet, providing not just protein, but the long chain omega-3 fatty acids essential to human health. Choosing the right raw materials for our feeds and using them to create efficient, healthy feeds for aquaculture is one of our most important contributions to producing healthy seafood for future generations."
