International Journal of Marine Science, 2017, Vol.7, No.15, 130-140
130
Research Article Open Access
Responsible Fishmeal Consumption and Alternatives in the Face of Climate
Changes
Naglaa F. Soliman
, Dalia M.M. Yacout, Mahmoud A. Hassaan
Department of Environmental Studies, Institute of Graduate studies and Research, Alexandria University, Egypt
Corresponding email
International Journal of Marine Science, 2017, Vol.7, No. 15 doi
Received: 12 Apr., 2017
Accepted: 8 May, 2017
Published: 10 May, 2017
Copyright © 2017
Soliman et al., This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits
unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Preferred citation for this article
:
Soliman N.F., Yacout D.M.M., and Hassaan M.A., 2017, Responsible fishmeal consumption and alternatives in the face of climate changes, International
Journal of Marine Science, 7(15): 130-140 (doi
Abstract
Aquaculture expanded around 8.6% per year during the period 1980–2012. It is the greatest growing food producing
sector. The intensification of fish production from aquaculture has made its demand for fishmeal from small pelagic fishes as an
increasingly important issue. Recognizing the vulnerability of small pelagic fishes to challenges of climate changes is serious. It will
have consequent challenges in terms of ensuring economically, socially and environmentally responsible fishmeal production
practices. The possibility of replacing fishmeal with nutritionally comparable feedstuffs would diminish stress on prices of feed
inputs resulting from captured fisheries. Diverse types of alternative (plant, animal, fishery by-products and novel foods) protein
sources have been experienced in a variety of aquaculture feeds. This review aims to appraise the different kinds of fishmeal
alternatives and the most proper substituent in fish diets. The paper in hand proposed that some of the described fishmeal alternatives
could leads to a considerable drop in small pelagic fishes utilization, but still they might be more cost-effective than fishmeal. Studies
should take into account both economic and biological assessment of dietary protein sources as fishmeal substituents. On the other
hand, the environmental impacts of such alternatives should be evaluated in order to guarantee sustainability of fish feed industry.
Keywords
Fishmeal; Climate change; Small pelagic fishes
Introduction
More than one billion individual rely on fish as an essential source of animal proteins. Fish provides at least 30%
of their animal protein intakes (Omojowo and Omojasola, 2013). The world seafood sector comprises of inland
fisheries, marine capture and fish farming. It also considered as very important source of food, livelihoods, culture
and income. Demand for seafood is continuing to get higher, with increasing per capita consumption, human
population and disposable incomes. It is estimated at 20 kg for 2014, consuming 87% of the world fish supply
(FAO, 2016). Since 1960, the world fish supply grew at an average of 3.2 percent per year, outpacing the world
population growth of 1.6 percent. This development was frequently produced from fish farming. Aquaculture or
fish farming is defined as the raising of aquatic organisms like crustaceans, fish, mollusks, and plants under
pre-described and controlled environment (FAO, 2014).
Aquaculture is considered as the fastest growing food producing sector. It has expanded at an average annual rate
of 8.6 percent over the last 3 decades from 1980 to 2012 (Ahmed and Diana, 2016). In 2014, global fish
production reached 73.8 million tons with an anticipated sale value of US$160.2 billion. China produces over than
60% of world farmed fish production. It accounts for more than 45.5 million tons production in 2014. India,
Vietnam, Bangladesh and Egypt came after China (FAO, 2016) (Table 1; Figure 1).
It is projected that the share of fish farming in total fisheries production may increase from 44% in 2013-2015 to
exceed captured fishery in the next few years. This share may reach 52% in 2025. This progress place of interest a
new era, demonstrating that fish farming might be the most important driver of development in the fisheries and
aquaculture industry (FAO, 2016).
On the other hand, around 30 Mt per year of anchovies, mackerels, sardines, and other small pelagic species are
reduced into about 6 Mt per year of fishmeal. Approximately half of it is from Humboldt anchovy, captured in
