The Marine Conservation Society (MCS) on Monday urged the United Kingdom’s aquaculture industry to cooperate in reducing its “heavy” reliance on fish oil.
A recent report from Norway predicts a serious shortage of fish oil within the next two to three years. At a recent event held by MCS and sponsored by three fish-feed manufacturers — EWOS, Biomar and Skretting — the organization highlighted the status of marine ingredient supplies, the regulatory position in relation to use of animal byproduct and advances in reducing fishmeal usage.
The organization also said fish oil inclusion will have to be reduced considerably if Scottish salmon farmers want to get certified by the Aquaculture Stewardship Council, as limits on wild fish in the diet is a key component of the salmon standard.
“In the UK, we still have significant use of fish oil-only diets for farmed salmon and the industry can no longer continue to use this valuable resource in this way,” said Dawn Purchase, MCS aquaculture officer. “It is time to move to a strategic use of our precious and valuable wild capture fisheries. This can only be achieved through a greater level of substitution with alternatives in the diets of farmed fish.
“There is a wealth of knowledge and research carried out on alternative feed ingredients, both proteins and oils from vegetable sources, algae oil, ragworm and bloodmeal,” she added. “The UK industry has to be bold and introduce these ingredients into farmed salmon diets. It is the responsible thing to do in a world of limited resources.”
