Stavanger, Norway-headquartered aquaculture nutrition firm Skretting announced a new line of functional fish feed called Necto, featuring proprietary "phytocomplexes" – plant-based extracts that are designed to address fish health and performance.
Necto, which the company said will be available in late 2025, is the first Skretting product to feature the new proprietary phytocomplexes created by Nutreco Exploration, the plant research division of Skretting parent-company Nutreco. Skretting said the new ingredient blend was the collaboration of nine research teams in five countries, who worked together to strengthen fish welfare and well-being, rather than simply boost disease resistance.
“With Necto, we are harnessing the complexity of plants and combining this with years of experience in health research, to create a truly innovative diet. Necto is a holistic solution that supports fish health and resilience in an unprecedented way,” Team Lead for Health Dr. Linda Jensen said.
Global Product Manager for Warm Water Species Health Anna Hesby Nessa called Necto “a revolution in aquaculture.”
“Through the precise selection and advanced cultivation of certain plants, we have taken a health product's multifunctional performance to the next level,” Nessa said.
Global Product Manager for Salmon Health Gordon Ritchie said that though functional feeds had been used in the aquaculture industry for a long time, Necto would boost fish resilience in “completely unique” ways.
“It is a powerhouse combination of solid nutrition, well-established functional ingredients and PhytoComplexes, which supports normal immune function and physiological processes in healthy fish, helping them cope with the impacts of inflammation and natural environmental stressors. It represents a truly exciting contributor to integrated fish health management and fish welfare,” Ritchie said.
Skretting named Maarten Bijl CEO in September, after former Skretting CEO Bastiaan van Tilburg became the CEO of Nutreco. Both companies are owned by privately held Dutch trading company SHV Holdings.
When van Tilburg took the role, he committed to improving sustainability by limiting the use of marine ingredients in aquaculture feed.
