Fishing for Aquaculture: Non-Food Use of Small Pelagic Forage Fish—A Global Perspective

Abstract

About 33.29 million tonnes or 36.2% of the total world fisheries catch was destined for non-food uses in 2006, either targeted for reduction into dry meal (fish meal) and oil (fish oil) for use within industrially compounded animal feeds, or used directly as animal feed in fresh, frozen, or wet processed form. However, whereas the proportion of non-food landings destined for reduction has been relatively constant since 1970 (mean ± SD: 23.17 ± 3.74 million tonnes), “other” non-food use landings have risen markedly from 0.90 million tonnes in 1970 (3.7% total non-food use landings) to 13.14 million tonnes in 2006 or 39.5% total non-food use landings. At present, small pelagic forage fish species, including “low-value/trash fish,” form the bulk of the fisheries catch destined for non-food uses, with the aquaculture sector currently being the largest consumer. In 2006, it is estimated that the aquaculture sector consumed an estimated 23.8 million tonnes of small pelagic forage fish in the form of feed inputs, including 3.72 million tonnes used to make fish meal, 0.83 million tonnes to make fish oil used in compounded aquafeeds, and an additional 7.2 million tonnes of low value/trash fish as a direct feed or within farm-made aquafeeds.