Fish as feed inputs for aquaculture: practices, sustainability and implications

292 Fish as feed inputs for aquaculture – Practices, sustainability and implications

1. INTRODUCTION
   Global fishmeal production is principally utilized for animal feeding (livestock,
   poultry and aquaculture) and fish oil production is utilized for aquaculture and human
   consumption (Tacon, Hasan and Subasinghe, 2006). Fishmeal and fish oil are mainly
   produced from pelagic fisheries operating at an industrial level. Pelagic fishing is
   conducted all around the world, but the main fisheries are located along the Peruvian
   and Chilean coasts where the cold Humboldt current generates wide oceanic upwelling
   and consequently, high primary productivity (Bertrand et al., 2004). Global fishmeal
   production during the last decade is
   shown in Figure 1. As described in
   this figure, global fishmeal production
   is concentrated in ten main countries.
   The two largest producers and fishmeal
   exporting countries are Peru and Chile,
   which produce 31 and 15 percent of the
   global total, respectively. In 2004, the
   estimated global fishmeal production
   was around 6.33 million tonnes, valued
   at over US$3 billion. Global fish oil
   production for the same year was
   estimated at around 930 000 tonnes,
   worth approximately US$0.56 billion
   (IFFO, 2005). These values are a clear
   indication of the importance of fishmeal
   and fish oil to the global economy and
   particularly to the Peruvian and Chilean
   economies.
   During the last 40 years, Chile has
   made significant strides in increasing
   both volume and value of capture
   fisheries and aquaculture production. From the mid-1960s to the present, the value of
   fisheries exports has increased from US$50 million to US$3 billion. Table 1 summarizes
   the value of total Chilean fish exports during the period 1995–2005 (SalmonChile,
   2006).
   Chilean total export values have doubled since 1995 and the production of farmed
   salmonids contributed around 60 percent of exports in 2006. Recent investments in
   new technologies, fishing vessels, processing plants and skilled human resources have
   made the Chilean fishing and aquaculture industries highly competitive in a global
   context. Chile is making concerted efforts to manage its fisheries in a sustainable
   and appropriate manner. However, future fisheries and aquaculture developments
   will require an increased emphasis on sustainability. For this reason, the Chilean
   Government is giving special priority to ensuring the achievement of this objective.
   The contribution of the Chilean fishing sector to the national economy and global
   supplies of fishmeal and fish oil is significant (FAO, 2004). Hence, the responsible use
   of this finite commodity, principally by the animal feeds industry but also as human
   food and for pharmaceuticals, is very important. With the increase in aquaculture
   production, the use of fishmeal and fish oil in aquafeeds has increased significantly in
   Chile. However, because of fluctuating and lower pelagic catches, considerable cuts
   have been made in the inclusion rates of fishmeal in salmonid feeds over the last decade
   (Visión acuícola, 2006).
   The price of fishmeal is determined by supply and demand, both of which are
   subject to a multitude of external factors. Probably the most important factors to have a

Source: IFFO (2005)

FIGURE 1

World fishmeal production trends among the major

producers during the decade 1996–2005

0

1 000

2 000

3 000

4 000

5 000

6 000

7 000

1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

Years

Peru Chile China Thailand USA Iceland

Denmark Japan Norway Spain South Africa Ecuador

Russian Fed Mexico Morocco UK

T housand t onnes