Farm Animals

Aquaculture Feed Ingredients and Welfare

The feed ingredients used in aquaculture have significant welfare implications both for farmed fish and for the wild fish caught to make fish meal.

Key Facts

Salmon require high levels of fish meal and fish oil in their diet traditionally
Wild forage fish populations are under pressure from over-fishing for aquaculture feed
Alternatives including insects, algae, and single-cell protein are being developed
Feed quality directly affects farmed fish health, immunity, and welfare outcomes
Research into plant-based and novel feed ingredients continues to advance rapidly

Welfare Considerations

Aquaculture feed sustainability links the welfare of farmed fish with that of wild marine ecosystems. Developing alternatives that maintain fish health while reducing pressure on wild fish populations is an urgent welfare and environmental priority.

What You Can Do

Choose aquaculture products certified to sustainable feed ingredient standards
Support research into insect meal, algae, and novel protein aquaculture feeds
Engage with the interconnection between wild fish welfare and aquaculture feed
Advocate for feed sustainability standards in aquaculture certification schemes
Reduce consumption of high-trophic farmed species with large feed conversion ratios