196 Fish as feed inputs for aquaculture – Practices, sustainability and implications
- Per capita fish supply within the region is generally low compared with other
regions of the world and in particular, in Honduras (1.1 kg), Bolivia (1.9 kg),
Guatemala (2.0 kg), Nicaragua (4.3 kg), Ecuador (4.7 kg), El Salvador (5.0 kg),
Colombia (5.3 kg), Costa Rica (5.7 kg) and Brazil (6.4 kg per year) (2001–2003
global average of 16.4 kg per year). - Although total capture fisheries production within the region in 2004 was over
12 times higher than aquaculture production, capture fisheries production has
declined by 6 percent since 1995 compared with aquaculture production within
the region, which has grown at an average rate of 8.9 percent per year since
1995. - According to fishing industry sources, the region produced 57.3 percent of the
total estimated global fishmeal and about 57.1 percent of the total global fish oil
in 2005. - According to the FAO, about 70 percent of the total fishmeal production and
35 percent of the total fish oil production within the region were not reported at
the species level in 2004. - In 2005, the region contributed 68.5 percent of total world fishmeal exports
and 55.1 percent of total world fish oil exports, primarily to Asia and Europe,
respectively. - The domestic aquaculture sector within the region used 469 500 tonnes of fishmeal
(13.3 percent of total fishmeal production within the region) and 237 910 tonnes
of fish oil (35.1 percent of total fish oil production within the region) in 2004. - The largest consumers of fishmeal and fish oil within the region are salmonids and
marine shrimp, these species accounting for 89.4 percent of the total fishmeal and
96.1 percent of the total fish oil consumed by the aquaculture sector within the
region in 2004. - Projections concerning future market availability and price of fishmeal and fish oil
within the region are that supplies will remain tight and prices high. - There is a need to reduce the dependence of the aquaculture sector upon fishmeal
and fish oil through the use of alternative locally available feed ingredients whose
production can keep pace with the growth and specific requirements of the
aquaculture sector within the region. - The use of low-value whole feed-fish species (trash fish) by the aquaculture sector
within the region is relatively small and is currently restricted to the on-growing
and fattening of tuna in Mexico with locally caught sardines (Sardinops sagax);
total consumption in 2006 was estimated at about 70 000 tonnes. - The use of feed-fish as baitfish for commercial and recreational fisheries within
the region (primarily by the United States of America and Canada) is believed
to be greater than that used by the aquaculture sector within the region and is
conservatively estimated to be about 100 000 tonnes. - An increasing portion of the marine fish catch is likely to be processed for direct
human consumption within the region, primarily in the form of easy-to-use and
affordable processed fish products, including canned marinates and stabilized
surimi-based fish products.
7.2 Organizations and institutions in the region engaged in related issues
A list of the regional and national organizations and institutions engaged in fisheries
and aquaculture-related activities within the region has been compiled by FAO (for
further information, go to http://www.fao.org/fi/library/links/htm).