Farmed Fish Feed Welfare: Fishmeal and Sustainability

The welfare and sustainability of fish used in aquaculture feed is an often-overlooked dimension of the seafood system.

Key Facts

Fishmeal and fish oil production uses approximately 10-20% of global wild fish catch annually
Small pelagic fish like anchovies, sardines, and herrings are the primary fishmeal species
Welfare of wild-caught fish in industrial fisheries is unregulated and largely unaddressed
Alternatives including soy, insect protein, and algal oil are reducing fishmeal dependency in some sectors
A significant welfare multiplier effect exists — one kilogram of farmed salmon requires several kilograms of wild fish
Lower trophic level farmed species — mussels, oysters, carp — require no or minimal fishmeal inputs

Welfare Considerations

Fishmeal production represents a hidden welfare dimension in farmed seafood — billions of small fish are caught, processed, and fed to other fish, with no welfare consideration given to the billions of individuals involved. The welfare of wild-caught fish in industrial fisheries — including crowding during net hauling, crushing, and asphyxiation — is essentially unregulated. Reducing dependence on wild fishmeal through feed ingredient substitution addresses both environmental sustainability and this welfare problem simultaneously. Consumer choices that favour lower trophic level farmed species, plant-fed aquaculture, or wild-capture fisheries with lower bycatch profiles reduce aggregate fishmeal welfare impact.

What You Can Do

Choose lower-trophic-level seafood including mussels, oysters, and herbivorous carp when possible
Ask retailers about fishmeal reduction commitments in their aquaculture supply chains
Support research into insect protein, algal oil, and other fishmeal alternatives
Advocate for wild fisheries welfare considerations to be incorporated into sustainability certifications
Reduce consumption of highly carnivorous farmed species that require large fishmeal inputs per kilogram