“The supply of fishmeal and fish oil is not meeting current demand and raw material that could be used to supply these needs is being dumped at sea,” said Andrew Mallison, director general of IFFO The Marine Ingredients Organization (formerly the International Fishmeal and Fish Oil Organization).
Mallison is at pains to point out that discards should not be caught in the first place and go for direct human consumption wherever possible, but if not, for example because the fish are too small or there is not a market for them, they should be used to produce fishmeal and fish oil.
“Demand for fishmeal is greatly increasing,” he said. “Mostly for fish feed for the burgeoning aquaculture industry, but also for animal feed. The production of pigs in
“Fish oil, with its high long chain omega-3 fatty acid content, is increasingly being used as health supplements.”
Approximately 4.5 million metric tons (MT) of fishmeal are produced each year, together with 1 million MT of fish oil, but this is not keeping pace with demand. As a result, feed formulators are reducing the fishmeal content and replacing it with what Mallison says are less digestible and less healthy ingredients.
“There will be less omega-3 fatty acids present and more omega-6 fatty acids, and this at a time when retailers are pushing the high omega-3 message.”
With more whole fish now going for direct human consumption, so called byproducts such as filleting waste — heads, tails, bones, skin etc — are increasingly being used to produce fishmeal and fish oil.
“There is also an environmental imperative to process by-products rather than dumping them. We and our members are actively working to increase the amount of byproducts recovered for fishmeal and fish oil production,” said Mallison.
IFFO estimates that more than 30 percent of the world’s fishmeal now comes from by-products, but this has only replaced the reduction in supply from whole fish and that total supply is capped at around 4.5 million MT. A recent FAO/OECD report predicted that by 2021, 43 percent of global fishmeal production should come from by-products.
Fishmeal is made primarily from whole fish, usually small bony species such as anchovy from
Byproducts are the next largest source of raw material and there is a substantial volume of filleting waste from onshore processing which could be used to provide fishmeal and fish oil. But again there could be logistical problems in getting it to a fishmeal plant.
“Storage and transport systems must be in place,” said Mallison. “In the past it has often been uneconomic to transport raw materials long distances but, as prices being paid for fishmeal and fish oil have risen, new possibilities may be available.”
Now that the discard controversy seems to be reaching a satisfactory conclusion, it will be interesting to see what will actually happen to the fish that should now be brought ashore. If it does not go to direct human consumption, which is recognized as the best solution, then using it to feed fish or animals that are then fed to people is a very acceptable second choice.
“The challenge now for the EU is to provide technical help to solve problems with transport and storage,” said Morrison.
IFFO The Marine Ingredients Organization members account for 60 percent of the world’s production of fishmeal and fish oil, and 80 percent of the trade. It now has a wide range of members including retailers and producers of omega-3 oil from krill and algae, hence the change in name.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On the afternoon of March 19, Vice Chairman of the Ca Mau Provincial People’s Committee, Le Van Su, chaired a meeting to address bottlenecks and propose solutions to expand the super-intensive whiteleg shrimp farming model using low water exchange and high biosecurity standards (RAS-IMTA).
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On March 10, 2026, the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee issued Decision No. 1377/QD-UBND approving the Aquatic Animal Disease Prevention and Control Plan for the 2026–2030 period. The decision takes effect from the date of signing and replaces previous plans for the 2021–2030 period that had been issued prior to the administrative merger in Ba Ria – Vung Tau, Binh Duong, and Ho Chi Minh City.
(vasep.com.vn) In 2025, Chile imported more than USD 156 million worth of tuna, up 8.1% compared to the previous year and the highest level in the past five years. As the supply structure in this market is rapidly shifting, Vietnamese tuna is facing both opportunities to expand market share and increasing competitive pressure from Thailand, Colombia, and China.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vinh Long Province is stepping up efforts to develop brackish water shrimp farming in a sustainable direction, identifying it as a key sector in its agricultural structure. In 2026, the province aims to reach around 71,300 hectares of shrimp farming, with an output of over 314,000 tons.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Ha Tinh Province is strengthening control over shrimp seed quality to minimize risks for the 2026 spring–summer farming season.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In February 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius exports reached USD 119 million, down slightly 5% year-on-year. However, thanks to strong performance in January, cumulative exports in the first two months of the year still reached USD 331 million, up 28% compared to the same period in 2025. Export activity slowed somewhat in February due to seasonal factors, particularly the Lunar New Year holiday, which disrupted production and shipments at many seafood processing enterprises.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Da Nang is accelerating the development of high-tech shrimp farming toward intensive production, disease control, and improved efficiency. Many shrimp farms have invested in automated environmental monitoring systems, continuously tracking indicators such as pH, dissolved oxygen, temperature, and salinity, enabling farmers to promptly adjust pond conditions and reduce disease risks.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The year 2025 is considered a turning point for Vietnam’s shrimp seed industry as the sector faces the need for strong transformation in technology, production management, and gradual self-sufficiency in broodstock supply. These factors are seen as key to improving seed quality and strengthening the competitiveness of the shrimp industry amid increasingly demanding market requirements.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In February 2026, Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached nearly USD 310 million, up 17% year-on-year. Cumulatively for the first two months of the year, shrimp export value totaled USD 690 million, an increase of 20% compared with the same period last year. Compared with the 22% growth recorded in January, the pace of increase in February slowed somewhat, reflecting seasonal factors as the Lunar New Year holiday partially disrupted processing and shipment activities. Nevertheless, the nearly 20% growth in the first two months indicates that shrimp orders from Vietnam are maintaining a more positive trend than in the same period last year.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) According to the latest statistics for January 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius export value to major market blocs recorded encouraging growth compared with the same period last year, indicating that consumption demand is gradually recovering.
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