Is low fishmeal/fish oil content in feeds harmful to fish and shrimp?

No.  The latest feed formulations are specifically designed to give aquaculture species all of the nutrients that they need in order to optimise their health and growth performance, and to ensure end-product quality. These new feeds are also helping to ease the demands put on finite marine raw materials resources, particularly fish meal and fish oil. Fish and shrimp need nutrients, not ingredients. Our knowledge enables us to formulate based on nutritional composition. This is similar to humans meeting nutritional requirements as vegetarians or other specific dietary needs.

Today’s low fishmeal and fish oil formulations for carnivorous species are the result of more than 20 years of scientific studies and research into the area. Moreover, the welfare of farmed fish depends on a whole host of interconnected factors. Nutrition is certainly one of these, but there are many others besides – linked mainly to farm management – which have a significant bearing on welfare. 

From a business perspective, formulating feed that was harmful to fish would be counter-productive. It is in the interests of the feed producer to provide quality products that meet the market’s needs. 