Aquaculture Feed Sustainability: Welfare and Environmental Links

Fish feed composition affects not only environmental sustainability but also the health and welfare of farmed fish throughout their lives.

Key Facts

Salmon aquaculture requires approximately 1.2 kg of wild fish per kg of farmed salmon produced
Fishmeal and fish oil from wild-caught forage fish can be partially replaced with insects and algae
Poor-quality feed leads to nutritional deficiencies, immune suppression, and increased disease
Omega-3 content of farmed salmon has declined as fishmeal is replaced with plant proteins
Novel protein sources including black soldier fly larvae are now commercially viable at scale
Feed quality directly affects fish gut health, fin condition, and resistance to pathogens

Welfare Considerations

Feed is foundational to farmed fish welfare. Nutritional deficiencies cause immune suppression, skeletal deformities, and reduced resistance to disease — all major welfare concerns. As the industry transitions toward more sustainable ingredients, welfare monitoring must ensure substitutions do not compromise fish health. Regulatory frameworks should require nutrition standards that protect fish welfare alongside environmental sustainability metrics.

What You Can Do

Choose seafood certified by the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) for feed and welfare standards
Support research into insect and algae protein as sustainable aquaculture feed alternatives
Ask seafood retailers about supplier feed sustainability and fish health practices
Advocate for welfare-inclusive aquaculture regulation that addresses feed quality standards