International Journal of Marine Science, 2017, Vol.7, No.15, 130-140
133
Many kinds of fish species are used for fish oil and fishmeal. Oily fish, particularly anchoveta is considered as the
major kinds of utilized species. Also, anchoveta catches is affected by El Nino phenomenon. Stringent
management procedures diminish catches of anchoveta and other species usually used for reduction. Therefore,
fishmeal and fish oil production oscillates according to changes in the catches of these species (FAO, 2016). In
2011, 23 Mt of fish fundamentally from small pelagic fish species such as anchovy, mackerel, sardine, and herring
destined to non-direct human consumption. 75% (17 Mt) of these fishes was reduced to fish oil and fishmeal for
aquaculture, poultry and other farm animals feeding. In 2010, 73% of total world fishmeal was used to feed
cultured fish, followed by pigs (20%), poultry (5%) and others (2%) (Shepherd and Jackson, 2013).
Fishmeal used for farmed fish and domestic animals raises important concern from a food nutrition and security
perception. Leaving away the argue on the utilization of these small fishes in supporting larger fish, birds and
marine mammals in the ecosystem (Smith et al., 2010), is fishmeal the most effective means to consume fish
(particularly lower cost small pelagic fishes) or could these fish contribute more to the food security if a larger
share of them was utilized directly via human consumption? In spite of some considerable progress in the last
decade, the conversion rate of fishmeal to fish is still remains an issue of concern (Troell et al., 2014). On average,
for every 1.0 kg of farmed fish produced, about 0.7 kg of wild fish is consumed (Tacon and Metian, 2009). This
average figure, however, masks essential differences. The rate for omnivorous farmed fish, is dropped to relatively
an acceptable level from 0.2 to 1.41 kg of wild fish per 1.0 kg of farmed fish. While, the figure is higher for
carnivorous farmed fish: from 1.35 to 5.16 kg to produce 1.0 kg of farmed fish (Boyd et al., 2007).
The detailed fishmeal and fish oil production during 2004-2014 depicted in Figure 3. According to IFFO and Oil
World data, the average yearly fishmeal production was projected at 5.238 million t. The maximum production
(6.095 million t) registered in 2004. While, the minimum (4.136 million t) production registered in 2014. In 2006,
there were some signs of a steep decline in the level of global fishmeal production (5.286 million t). It was
estimated that the average annual production has been 4.9 million t until 2011, as compared with the average of
6.0 million t for 2001-2005. Thus, the average world fishmeal production in 2001-2005 was 6.0 million t
compared to 4.9 million t registered in 2006-2010 with an El Nino occurring in 2003 and in 2010. Peru is the
largest national producer which indicated that, in the absence of an El Nino, it represents about 25-30% of total
global production. Chile came after Peru with around half of the Peruvian level. It is followed by Thailand. During
the El Nino year of 2010, however, total global production dropped to only 4.1 million t and Peru’s share of world
production dropped to only 19 percent. Whereas in 2010 global fishmeal production was the lowest since the early
1970s, the Peruvian fishery improved in 2011 and global production increased to about 5.2 (Shepherd and Jackson,
2009; Alicia, 2015). 2015 could see what is considered normal global supply levels of fishmeal at 5 million metric
tons, and fish oil at 1m metric tonnes on March 5 at the tenth North Atlantic Seafood Forum (NASF) in Bergen,
Norway. In 2014, fishmeal production was down 11.5 percent to 4.1 m over 2013 (Figure 3), while the fish oil
output reached 843,000 t, down 7.5 percent year-on-year (Alicia, 2015).
Figure 3 Global fish meal production
0
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
6,000
7,000
