International Journal of Marine Science, 2017, Vol.7, No.15, 130-140
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1 Materials and Methods
Data (in million metric tons) for the global and regional seafood supply have been extracted from recently
published United Nations FAOSTAT reports (FAO, 2014; 2016). To explore the alternatives of fishmeal and the
negative effects of climate change on fisheries particularly small pelagic fishes, the relevant peer-reviewed
literature have been searched using Google Scholar and PubMed until January 2017. The following search terms:
fishmeal, climate change, alternatives, protein sources, plant, and animal have been used. We also looked for
relevant reports and articles and that were cited in other papers found through searching. The reports and articles
used in this work cover animal feed, fish biology, environment, Nutrition, as well as aquaculture.
2 Results and Discussion
2.1 Status of global aquaculture production
Currently, fish plays a very important role in food security worldwide. It provides different types of nutrients,
including protein, micronutrients, and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (Li and Hu, 2009). Aquaculture is the
cheapest way to produce food rich in protein (
Soliman and Yacout, 2016)
. Fish considered as the main source of
protein from animals. It contributes to more than 25 percent of the total animal protein for about 1250 million
people (FAO, 2009). With the relatively static production of captured fisheries since 1980, fish farming was in
charge of the remarkable increase in the supply of fish for human consumption (Figure 2). While, fish farming
supplied no more than 7 percent of the total human fish consumption in 1974, this share was grown to 26% in
1994 and 39% in 2004 (FAO, 2016). Fishery and aquaculture sectors are considered as a fundamental resource of
income for millions of persons in low income families (
Béné, 2006)
. In this respect it contributes directly as well
as indirectly to their food security (
Bénéet al., 2007; Allison et al., 2011)
.
Figure 2 World capture fisheries and aquaculture production (FAO, 2016)
The exponential aquaculture growth sector during the past 2 decades is a result of the progressive production from
intensive systems. A major contributor to this intensification is the use of manufactured feeds formulated to meet
the increasing nutritional necessities of the targeted fish species (FAO, 2009). Intensive farming of carnivorous
fish involves supply of additionally as well as nutritionally complete synthetically compounded aquafeeds. The
accessibility and cost of such fishmeal and fish oil inputs is a nontrivial issue to fish farmers. Feed expenses
showed to stand for up to 60 % of their total operation expenditure (Stickney, 1994).
2.2 Fishmeal in aquaculture
Fish is used as a direct human food. It contributes indirectly to human nutrition when it is utilized as fishmeal for
poultry/livestock as well as aquaculture feeds (Tacon and Metian, 2009). Considerable, but decreasing, quantity of
global fisheries production is processed into fish oil and fishmeal. This indirectly contributes to human
consumption once it used as feed for fish and farm animals. Fishmeal is crude flour. It is acquired after milling
and drying of fish or fish parts. On the other hand, Fish oil is apparent brown/yellow liquid. It is acquired after the
pressing of the cooked fish. Fish meal and fish oil formed from a whole fish, fish by-products or fish remains.
