WHY AQUACULTURE MUST REDUCE ITS DEPENDENCE ON FISHMEAL
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.46754/ps.2026.01.003Keywords:
Aquaculture, fishmeal, sustainability, alternative feeds, food security, circular bioeconomy.Abstract
Aquaculture, as the world’s fastest-growing food production sector is indispensable for global food security and nutrition. Yet, its environmental and economic sustainability is critically jeopardised by a deep-seated reliance on fishmeal, a finite resource derived from wild-caught forage fisheries. This comprehensive review argues that reducing this dependency is an urgent imperative, synthesising evidence from 2020 onward across environmental, economic, and social dimensions. The overexploitation of small pelagic fish for reduction to meal disrupts marine trophic webs, compromises ecosystem resilience, and conflicts with direct human consumption needs in vulnerable regions. Economically, it binds the industry to volatile commodity markets, threatening profitability and stability. The article meticulously evaluates the scientific and commercial progress in alternative proteins, including precision-formulated plant blends, insect meals, single-cell proteins, and by-product valorisation, demonstrating that viable pathways exist. Through detailed case studies and policy analysis, it concludes that a systemic transition toward circular aquafeed systems is not only feasible but essential. This transition, supported by coherent policy, targeted R&D, and market incentives, is the key to unlocking aquaculture’s potential as a truly sustainable, resilient, and equitable pillar of the future global food system, aligning with the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals.
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