The latest statistics gathered by IFFO – the Marine Ingredients Organization indicates global fishmeal and fish oil production through July 2025 is ahead of global production in the same period of 2024.
According to IFFO – which gathers survey data from members in Chile, Denmark, the Faroe Islands, Iceland, Côte d'Ivoire, Mauritius, Norway, the U.K., the U.S., Peru, South Africa, and Spain – global production of fishmeal through July 2025 is roughly 8 percent ahead of the same period of 2024. Fish oil production is also ahead of last year and has increased by around 5 percent.
“Global fishmeal and fish oil production is consistent with IFFO’s 2025 estimates at 5.6 million tons of fishmeal and 1.2 million to 1.3 million tons of fish oil,” IFFO Market Research Director Enrico Bachis said.
IFFO said in 2024, Peru’s anchovy-fishing season in its North-Central region ended on 19 June, which limited production of fishmeal and fish oil. The season in 2024 wrapped up successfully after catching 2.5 million metric tons (MT) of anchovy in just 40 days, which came after Peru was forced to close the second North-Central season of 2023 with 25 percent of its quota uncaught and completely cancel the first season of 2023.
IFFO said this year, fishing activity in Peru continued into late July – meaning it was at a slower pace than in 2024. Because Peru accounts for 20 percent of total fishmeal and fish oil production, the timing of its season “has had an impact on production volumes and market trends globally,” the organization said.
According to IFFO, most countries have so far recorded positive trends in fishmeal and fish oil production – with the exceptions of Spain, Iceland, and Peru.
IFFO said China is approaching its peak season for aquafeed production and demand for marine ingredients. China recently lifted its yearly fishing ban in the South China Sea, but IFFO said the outlook for wild catches for the remainder of 2025 are uncertain.
IFFO also said that so far in 2025, fishmeal consumption by aquaculture has estimated to have exceeded the level of consumption in 2024, “supported by significantly improved profitability in certain farmed species.”
