Saving Seafood

Replacing fish-based aquaculture feed with plant-based increases environmental impacts

April 24, 2019 — The sustainability of farmed seafood is directly tied to how efficiently the animals turn their feed into flesh, aka food for people. Farms that use more feed to grow the same amount of food are more impactful than others. But what also matters is the kind of feed given to cultured species. Typically, fish and shrimp are fed fishmeal, a kind of feed made from ground-up fish. Fishmeal can be made from the excess trimmings of fish processing, but there are several wild-caught fisheries that only serve to be reduced into fishmeal for aquaculture, e.g. Peruvian anchoveta. However, with a growing market for farmed seafood, fishmeal is in high demand.

This has raised fishmeal prices worldwide; so some shrimp farms, most of which are in developing countries, have begun to substitute fishmeal with plant-based feeds. A recent paper in Sustainability, Malcorps et al. 2019, set out to measure the environmental and social impact of substituting fishmeal for plant-based feed in farmed shrimp. Currently, shrimp feeds are 20-30% fishmeal, depending on the shrimp species being farmed—what would the environmental impact be if those percentages dropped?

Malcorps et al. 2019 built a computer model to assess the changes in land, freshwater, and fertilizer use caused by substituting a portion of fishmeal shrimp feed with plant-based feed. The model found that substituting fishmeal with plant-based feed led to a dramatic increase in terrestrial resource demand for the 5 crops commonly used for substitution (wheat, soybeans, rapeseed, pea, and corn). A maximum plant-based substitution in shrimp feed would lead to a 63% increase in freshwater use, 81% increase in land use, and an 83% increase in phosphorus (fertilizer) relative to the current levels in those 5 crops.

Further, and more concerning, is the notion that increased demand on those 5 crops would raise prices and seriously impact poor families that rely on them for food.

Read the full story at Sustainable Fisheries UW

 

Will plant-based fish food make aquaculture more sustainable?

April 12, 2019 — Replacing fish food with plants may not be as planet-friendly as it seems, according to a new study on the ecological impact of feeding soy and other land-grown crops to farmed seafood. These plant-based feeds are an alternative to, well, other sea creatures, which is what many species like shrimp and salmon eat in the wild. Published in the science journal Sustainability, the new study—which involved which involved an international and multidisciplinary team of experts—quantifies the effects that plant-based feeds have on land, water, and fertilizer use. The numbers that emerge challenge the prevailing notion that simply swapping fish-based fish food for plant-based fare can minimize the environmental footprint of aquaculture.

The interlocking limitations of fish-based feed, also known as fishmeal, have long confounded the aquaculture industry. For one, its ingredients—small, wild fish lower in the food chain, known as forage fish—are a finite resource. And as the global appetite for seafood continues to rise, so does the pressure to catch more. That means that fishmeal is becoming more costly and harder to source. As a result, producers have been trying to reduce their reliance in recent years.

“When shrimp farming became very popular 30 to 35 years ago, there was kind of a preference to grow as many shrimp as you can, as fast as you can, and get them out on the market,” says Cheryl Shew, a representative of specialty feed manufacturer Ziegler Bros. Inc. But like much of the industry, Ziegler began to experiment with soy as a partial substitute fishmeal in its feed products beginning in the early aughts, Shew tells me.

So why not just completely replace fishmeal with plants? It’s not as easy as it sounds—or as environmentally-sound, as it turns out.

Read the full story at The New Food Economy

Study questions sustainability of plant-based aquafeed

April 9, 2019 — A new study by researchers at the University of Stirling’s Institute of Aquaculture concludes that there is an urgent need for a paradigm shift in the definition of sustainable shrimp feed.

The global farmed shrimp industry has an estimated production volume around four million metric tons (MT), and has become one of the biggest consumers of fishmeal in the aquaculture sector. This has put pressure on aquafeed manufacturers to find suitable alternative ingredients that do not affect the health or growth rates of the shrimp.

However, substituting in plant-based alternatives to fishmeal may not be the panacea that ecological campaigners are counting on, according to the recently published research.

“The Sustainability Conundrum of Fishmeal Substitution by Plant Ingredients in Shrimp Feeds,” by Wesley Malcorps, models the effects of decreasing the inclusion of fishmeal in commercial diets.

“As demand for shrimp feed increases, feed manufacturers are shifting towards crop-based ingredients, in a move that is mainly driven by economic incentives. This is evidenced by looking at the relative price of fishmeal compared to common plant ingredients such as soy protein concentrate, cereal, and wheat gluten. Some consider the move to be a sustainable transition, as it reduces the dependency on a finite marine resource,” Malcorps told SeafoodSource. “However, a change in ingredients would shift resource demand from the oceans onto the land and could affect the nutritional value of shrimp.”

His team set out to model incremental fishmeal substitution by plant ingredients in feed for giant tiger prawns (Penaeus monodon) and whiteleg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei). The models were used to assess the consequent impact on marine and terrestrial resources such as fish, land, fresh water, nitrogen, and phosphorus.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

Fishmeal market turns bearish on good production, ASF, high China stocks

January 11, 2019 — The fishmeal market is described as bearish as good production in Peru weighs on market prices while stocks mount in China, as demand there takes a bigger hit than expected from an African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreak.

“It’s all bearish news,” James Frank, director of Peruvian fishmeal trading company MSICeres, told Undercurrent News Tuesday (Jan. 8). “The market is dropping in China as local fishmeal is competing with imported and port stocks are still high.”

“The [ASF] outbreak is taking a larger toll on Chinese hog herds than expected initially,” Jean-Francois Mittaine, an industry expert with 30 years experience, told Undercurrent. “I heard the situation has led to significantly lower usage of fishmeal.”

Stocks of fishmeal held in Chinese ports have hit a 10-year high for the time of year, at 186,000 metric tons, according to Chinese government figures. According to Undercurrent’s price portal, in Shanghai port, Peruvian superprime fishmeal offer prices, ex-warehouse, have fallen to CNY 10,700 per metric ton ($1,566/t), down CNY 1,200/t since mid-October.

Read the full story at Undercurrent News

SFP: Reduction fishery sustainability improving, Asian fisheries still an issue

October 9, 2018 — The Sustainable Fisheries Partnership has released its latest annual report on reduction fisheries, and has concluded that the sustainability of the fisheries worldwide has improved by roughly eight percent.

The report, which analyzed 26 reduction fisheries – fisheries that harvest fish to be processed into fishmeal and fish oil – found that the amount of catch coming from poorly managed fisheries has dropped 16 percent from last year, and has been steadily decreasing since 2016. The report also found the 91 percent of the catch volume came from stocks “that scored 6 or better on all five criteria outlined by SFP’s FishSource database,” according to SFP.

While the report is positive, the authors – Pedro Veiga, Marina Mendes, and Blake Lee-Hardwood – also noted that Asian fisheries have been largely excluded from the data, “because of the current difficulty in establishing management and catch data.”

“This omission is significant, because the fisheries of Asia provide very large quantities of fishmeal; it is hoped that future editions of the report will be able to extend coverage to at least some of these fisheries,” the authors wrote. “Nonetheless, we are confident that the report covers approximately 50 percent of global fishmeal and oil production.”

Roughly three percent of the total catch volume of what was included in the report is coming from fisheries that have stock in “very good condition.” The entirety of that amount is attributed to one fishery: Antarctic krill in the Atlantic Southern Ocean. Of the 91 percent of fisheries that are “reasonably well-managed” or better, the largest contributor was the Peruvian anchoveta fishery, representing 33 percent of the total catch.

“This report clearly identifies a positive trend among the reduction fisheries of the North Atlantic and Eastern Pacific, although there is still significant room for improvement with some fisheries,” the authors wrote. “The proportion of fisheries achieving higher sustainability ratings has increased significantly; this builds on improvements identified in the previous report for 2017. These results clearly represent a good news story for the fishmeal and fish oil industry and show that it is becoming ever more responsible with regards to fisheries management.”

Industry leaders within aquaculture were pleased by the news in the report.

“BioMar is proud to support SFP in its efforts to improve the environmental stewardship of global marine resources. The positive trend in this year’s report demonstrates the power of the multi-stakeholder approach to “greening” value chains through responsible sourcing,” BioMar sustainability specialist Erik Olav Gracey said. “We will continue to actively support SFP through collaboration and support of fisheries improvement projects worldwide.”

Read the full story at Seafood Source

SFP sees improvement in sustainability of fisheries used for fishmeal, oil

October 9, 2018 — More than 90% of the fish used for fishmeal and fish oil from the Atlantic and eastern Pacific oceans now come from fisheries that are “reasonably well-managed (or better)”, according to the latest annual report on reduction fisheries by the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP).

SFP said its report, which analyzes 26 reduction fishery stocks worldwide, found that 91% of the total catch volume came from stocks that scored 6 or better on all five criteria outlined by SFP’s FishSource database. That’s an 8% increase over last year.

Poorly managed fisheries accounted for 9% of the catch, a drop from 16% last year.

Of the stocks listed in “very good condition,” the report singled out the Antarctic krill fishery in the Atlantic Southern Ocean as being particularly well-managed by the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources.

Read the full story at Undercurrent News

China retaliates against US tariffs; seafood largely unaffected

September 19, 2018 — China has retaliated against US tariffs, but seafood will be largely unaffected by its counter-measures.

On Sept. 18, China announced it would levy new tariffs of up to 10% on imports of US goods worth $60 billion. The measures came in retaliation to US tariffs of 10% on $200bn worth of Chinese goods, confirmed by president Donald Trump’s administration the same day.

Both sets of tariffs will come into effect on Sept. 24.

China said the counter-measures were to “defend the legitimate rights and interests of the Chinese economy caused by the violation of international obligations by the US”. Prior to the announcement in a more solemn statement it said the US measures were “regretful”.

Among the 5,000-plus US products to be hit are smoked Pacific salmon and a type of fishmeal (see below). No other fisheries or seafood products are affected.

Read the full story at Undercurrent News   

 

Sustainable Omega 3 Consumption: A Positive Trend Set to Increase

September 5, 2018 — The following was released by Friend of the Sea:

The size of the global omega 3 supplement industry has grown enormously in recent years. Evidence from the market shows that more and more consumers worldwide are demanding fish oils and nutrients which are not only healthy and of high quality, but are also respectful of the marine environment. After decades of campaigns by environmental activists and enlightened industry operators, the message has finally reached a rising number of eco-conscious individuals and households globally.

Friend of the Sea Standard for Omega 3

Back in 2010, Friend of the Sea (FoS), an independent certification scheme set up two years earlier to assess the environmental sustainability associated with seafood from fisheries and aquaculture, felt the urgent need to introducing a specific standard for producers of fish oil, fishmeal, fish feed and omega-3 supplements. According to this, accredited third-party certification bodies certify that the oil originates only from fisheries are compliant with Friend of the Sea sustainable fishing requirements, including good fishery management, selective fishing gears and social responsibility, and that a full chain of custody is in place throughout the supply and the production chain.

The fish contained in certified omega 3 products can be traced back to certified fisheries which have been independently assessed to meet Friend of the Sea’s widely recognised standard for sustainable wild fishing. These fisheries are well managed and their impacts on the environment minimized so that seafood supplies are safeguarded for future generations.

The origin of certified fish oil

Today, 439 companies adhere voluntarily to Friend of the Sea standard for fish oil, fishmeal, fish feed and omega-3 supplement, an increase of around 477% compared with 2015 when there were only 76.

“As the leading globally recognised standard program for sustainable seafood, we are enthusiastic about scoring and sharing the positive change in attitude towards environmental sustainability and social accountability occurring also in the nutraceutical sector,” claims Paolo Bray, Founder and Director of Friend of the Sea. “Consumers worldwide can now have wider access to sustainable products on the shelves and we are convinced of an even brighter future for the sector.”

Certified oils originate mostly from approved Peruvian anchovy fisheries and fleet – Engraulis ringens – (29%), Antarctic krill – Euphausia superba – (22%), European sardine – Sardina pilchardus (8%), European anchovy – Engraulis encrasicolus – (7%), Chub mackerel – Scomber japonicus (7%), Atlantic cod – Gadus morhua – (3%). The remaining 24% derives from various species such as salmon, tuna and squid which are equally certified, processed and usually refined and blended.

Read the full release here

Tariffs set to take toll on Alaska seafood exports and imports

August 30, 2018 — More seafood tariffs in Trump’s trade war with China are hitting Alaska coming and going.

On July 6, the first 25 percent tax went into effect on more than 170 U.S. seafood products going to China. On Aug. 23 more items were added to the list, including fishmeal from Alaska.

“As of right now, nearly every species and product from Alaska is on that list of tariffs,” said Garrett Evridge, a fisheries economist with the McDowell Group.

Alaska produces more than 70,000 metric tons of fishmeal per year (about 155 million pounds), mostly from pollock trimmings, with salmon a distant second. The pollock meal is used primarily in Chinese aquaculture production, while salmon meal goes mostly to pet food makers in the U.S.

In 2017 about $70 million worth of fishmeal from Alaska pollock was exported to China from processing plants all over the state.

Read the full story at the Alaska Journal of Commerce

US fishmeal producers left exposed by China’s 25% tariff blow

August 16, 2018 — US fishmeal producers — including the US’ largest fishmeal producer Omega Protein — are “certainly in some trouble” after China announced last week it would impose 25% tariffs on imports from the country, said a fishmeal industry analyst.

Jean-Francois Mittaine, an analyst with 30 years’ experience in the sector, told Undercurrent News Omega Protein and others in the sector will struggle to find new markets as Chinese importers turn to alternative sources. This will hit both the menhaden fisheries of the Gulf of Mexico and the pollock fishmeal industry of Alaska.

“For the Americans it is a problem,” said Mittaine. “I don’t see what they’re going to do with their fishmeal.”

Last Wednesday, China’s Ministry of Commerce said it would impose an additional tariff on imports of US fishmeal of 25% (HS code 23012010). The ingredient used in animal and fish feed was among 333 US goods worth $16 billion in annual trade targeted.

The Chinese counter-move will take effect immediately after the US imposes tariffs on the same amount of Chinese goods on Aug 23.

Read the full story at Undercurrent News