A new peer-reviewed paper in Reviews in Fisheries Science & Aquaculture is calling for a fundamental rethink of how ingredients are selected for aquafeeds, urging the sector to embrace circularity as a guiding principle.
The study, Toward Applying a Circularity Framework Against the Use of Aquaculture Feed Ingredients, was led by Dr Brett Glencross, Technical Director at IFFO – The Marine Ingredients Organisation – together with a team of seven leading scientists and industry experts. The research builds on the European Feed Manufacturers’ Federation (FEFAC)’s circularity framework, highlighting the need for a holistic approach to sustainable feed and food production.
The framework is structured around four key pillars:
- Minimising the use of food-grade resources as feed
- Reducing reliance on land use
- Maximising the use of locally sourced ingredients
- Optimising the nutritional characteristics of feed ingredients
Glencross explained: “One of the key drivers of circularity is the need to improve sustainability of feed ingredient use. This review demonstrates that a more comprehensive approach to sustainable feed and food production is possible, particularly through life cycle assessment (LCA) methodologies. By applying a common, agreed set of rules, we can ensure that environmental burdens are not simply transferred from one product to another.”
The paper underscores the importance of LCA in comparing the true impacts of different feed ingredients. Data shows that marine ingredients often have a lower carbon footprint than many alternatives, and reducing their inclusion can actually increase the carbon footprint of aquafeeds.
Modern aquafeeds are complex formulations of more than 40 ingredients. Over the last two decades, the average inclusion of marine ingredients has fallen from 25% to just 9%, replaced largely by plant-based raw materials. While this shift has reduced pressure on wild fish stocks, it has also tied aquafeed production more closely to the environmental and social impacts of agriculture, such as land-use change, biodiversity loss, and higher carbon emissions.
At the same time, by-products are playing an increasingly important role. Today, more than 40% of the raw material used for marine ingredients comes from fish processing by-products from both wild-caught fisheries and aquaculture. With aquaculture’s continued growth, the supply of such by-products is expected to increase.
The authors stress that new circular feed ingredients must undergo rigorous characterisation, including assessments of digestibility, bioavailability, and supply consistency. For commercial use, they suggest a minimum threshold of 10,000 tonnes annually with stable nutrient profiles.
“There is no point in producing a circular feed ingredient if its nutritional characteristics undermine the capacity to formulate a nutritious and balanced feed,” they note.
The paper also points to untapped opportunities in marine bioactive compounds derived from waste streams, such as peptides, fish silage, and osmolytes. Long studied for their potential to enhance growth and health, these compounds could be leveraged more effectively to improve feed performance.
Ultimately, the authors conclude that the transition to circular aquafeeds will require coordinated efforts across research, industry, and policy. By adopting a systems-based approach, the aquaculture sector can reduce its environmental footprint while ensuring resilient and nutritious feeds for the future.
The full study is available online: https://doi.org/10.1080/23308249.2025.2552166.
