The first fishing season of 2025 in Peru’s north-central region continued into late August, compared to the end of 2024’s first season on 19 June, highlights the latest analysis from IFFO, with the marine ingredients organisation explaining that with Peru accounting for around 20% of global fishmeal and fish oil production in an average year, its fishing timeline has an impact on production volumes and market trends globally.
According to IFFO’s latest market intelligence reports, by July 2025, the total cumulative fishmeal production had risen by approximately 8% compared to the same period in 2024. This increase was mainly driven by higher output in most regions, except for Northern Europe.
Similarly, cumulative fish oil output through July 2025 showed a year-on-year increase by around 5%. Most countries recorded positive trends compared to January–July 2024, with the exception of Spain, the Iceland/North Atlantic and Peru.
“Global fishmeal and fish oil production is consistent with IFFO’s 2025 estimates at 5.6 million tonnes of fishmeal and 1.2-1.3 million tonnes of fish oil,” IFFO Market Research Director Dr Enrico Bachis said.
IFFO also noted the fishing ban on South China Sea and the southern part of the East China Sea was lifted on 15 August, while the ban in the Bohai Sea and the Yellow Sea ended on 1 September and will be followed by the lifting of the final ban in the main areas of the East China Sea on 16 September.
The outlook for wild catches for the remainder of 2025 is still uncertain, the association said, with its analysts reporting a decline in domestic marine ingredient production in the first seven months of 2025 compared with the same period last year.
Farming activities have generally performed well in the recent months, despite recurring adverse weather conditions such as high temperatures and typhoons.
The peak season for aquafeed production and demand for marine ingredients is still underway and is expected to continue until October.
Meanwhile, fishmeal consumption in aquaculture so far is estimated to have exceeded last year’s level, supported by significantly improved profitability in certain farmed species. In the pig sector, however, declining piglet prices are behind weaker demand for piglet feed and fishmeal.
