Welfare of Animals in Global Aquaculture Feed Supply Chains

Aquaculture relies heavily on wild-caught fish as feed, with the welfare of these feeder fish populations — and the animals depending on them in wild ecosystems — rarely considered.

Key Facts

Aquaculture uses approximately 16 million tonnes of wild fish for fishmeal and fish oil annually
Anchovies, sardines, and menhaden make up the bulk of reduction fishery catch used for aquaculture feed
Wild fish caught for meal and oil undergo crushing and processing alive — a process that causes distress
Insect meal, algae oil, and single-cell protein are viable fishmeal replacements reducing wild fish dependence
Every kilogram of fed aquaculture species typically requires several kilograms of wild fish feed input

Welfare Considerations

The welfare of wild fish caught for aquaculture feed is entirely absent from most aquaculture welfare discussions, yet billions of small pelagic fish die in reduction fisheries each year specifically to support the farming of higher-value species. The crushing and processing of live fish for meal causes distress. The removal of forage fish from ecosystems affects every marine animal that depends on them. Feed transition to insect meal, algae, and fermentation-based protein reduces these hidden welfare costs while often improving the nutritional profile of farmed fish diets.

What You Can Do

Choose aquaculture products from species that do not rely on wild fish feed inputs
Support brands transitioning to insect meal or algae-based aquaculture feeds
Advocate for feed transparency requirements in aquaculture certification schemes
Donate to research into alternative aquaculture feed ingredients that eliminate wild fish dependence