Aquatic

Sustainable Fish Feed and Aquaculture Welfare

The feed given to farmed fish affects both their welfare and the sustainability of aquaculture, with fish meal and fish oil use creating pressure on wild fish populations.

Key Facts

Salmon are fed diets containing significant proportions of fish meal and fish oil
It takes approximately 1.2 kg of wild fish to produce 1 kg of farmed salmon
Plant-based and insect protein alternatives can partially substitute for fish-derived ingredients
Feed quality directly affects fish welfare through nutrient availability and digestibility
Microalgae-derived omega-3 oils can reduce dependence on wild fish in salmonid feeds

Welfare Considerations

Fish fed nutritionally adequate diets show better welfare outcomes than those fed imbalanced or deficient feeds. The sustainability dimension of feed is also a welfare issue: wild fish used for feed are caught by industrial fisheries where welfare considerations are absent. Reducing dependence on fish meal and fish oil through alternative protein sources addresses both sustainability and indirect welfare concerns for wild fish populations.

What You Can Do

Choose farmed fish with lower feed conversion ratios and higher plant protein content
Support research into sustainable feed alternatives for aquaculture
Advocate for aquaculture certification schemes including feed sustainability criteria
Reduce consumption of fish meal-intensive farmed species where alternatives exist
Engage with policy debates about fish meal sustainability and aquaculture regulation