Fish feed

Small forage fish–such as anchoveta, mackerel, herring, whiting and sardines–that live in the pelagic zone of oceans or lakes provide critical nutrition for vulnerable coastal communities throughout the world. Yet, the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reports that more than 16 million tons of whole fish – or around 20% of all wild fish caught globally – was ground into fish meal or oil in 2020. Of that, more than 75% was used to feed farmed fish with the remainder going into products like pet food, vitamin supplements, and fertilizer.

Globally, the cultivation of carnivorous finfish has led to the depletion of wild fish stocks, particularly in food-insecure regions, where fish that would otherwise provide livelihoods and nutrition are removed from coastal waters to feed farmed fish, driving up the price of wild fish and reducing marine resources in traditional fishing areas. A significant share of fish oil, a key commodity in carnivorous fish farming, is depriving up to 4 million people in Northwest Africa of fish required to meet their annual nutritional needs.