Global fishmeal and fish oil production is approaching USD 10 billion (EUR 7.2 billion) annually, Dr. Jonathan Shepherd director general of the International Fishmeal and Fish Oil Organization (IFFO), told attendees at last week’s annual IFFO conference in Beijing, China.
Sustainability, value and health were the themes of this year’s IFFO conference.
“Given the finite supply of marine ingredients, the industry is increasingly focused on the strategic use of fishmeal and fish oil at critical stages in the life cycle, where they offer the greatest value to the growing animal,” Shepherd told attendees.
Approximately 90 percent of commercially available omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA are derived from fish oil. And demand for fish oil is only increasing, as both the aquaculture and omega-3 supplement industries grow. For example, in the United States alone, the omega-3 supplement market exploded from USD 40 million in 1995 to USD 1 billion by 2009, according to Adam Ismail, executive director of the Global Organization of EPA and DHA Omega-3 (GOED).
“Taking responsibility is a must for the industry,” said Shepherd. “Chile and Peru have taken responsibility by adopting rights-based fishery management. IFFO is taking responsibility by defending the industry against the ever-changing criticisms with sound science and by forming closer links and alliances with government and the value chain. On standards we introduced the IFFO Responsible Supply certification program (IFFO-RS) 12 months ago.”
(Peru’s Tecnológica de Alimentos was the first fishmeal and fish oil producer to achieve the certification.)
Shepherd is also speaking at the second annual Sustainable Seafood Forum, which is being held in conjunction with this week’s 15th annual China Fisheries & Seafood Expo in Dalian, China. The three-day event kicks off on Tuesday.
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