Despite the significant decline in fishmeal and fish oil supplies expected this year from
"I would believe we're going to see a very large increase in aquaculture feed [over the next few years]," Aiden Connolly, vice president of Alltech, told listeners during the company's 2013 Global Feed Survey results webinar early Monday morning.
The company, which provides feed production information to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), is also predicting a dramatic increase in aquaculture production in the near future, Connolly said.
Feed for aquaculture currently makes up 5 percent of global feed production, but Connolly "wouldn't be surprised if it grew to 8 to 10 percent of the world market in the near future."
Regulations are increasing in regards to contaminants, which has put a slow on some of the world's feed production, but aquaculture may be less affected than beef or poultry due to demand.
"Obviously, we have a very dramatic situation wherewe cannot continue to fish the amount of fish out of the sea that we have in the past,” Connolly said. “People want to eat more fish because, just like chicken, it is perceived [as] very healthy."
The results of Alltech's survey show a whopping 44,793 million metric tons global fish feed production level last year – a 55 percent increase over the prior year. Some of the increase comes from more companies being included in the survey this year, but most reflects a widespread production increase trend, Connolly said.
The near 45 million metric ton production level may come as a surprise to the industry, International Fishmeal and Fish Oil Organization (IFFO) Technical Director Andrew Jackson told IntraFish.
“It's a big number, and I think a lot of people don't know just how big that number is,”
Like Alltech, the IFFO expects that number to continue to rise. It is expecting gains of about 7 to 8 percent this year and perhaps as high as ten percent,
Achieving growth in a supply-strapped industry
How will feed producers manage to increase fish feed production while fishmeal and oil – two of the most important ingredients in salmon and shrimp feed – decrease?
The answer is that for one, fishmeal and oil are becoming less important ingredients as feed producers find more and more viable protein substitutes.
“Fishmeal has traditionally represented a very verylarge percentage of the diets of fish, and that isnot going to continue,” Connolly told IntraFishduring the webinar's question and answer period. “Most of the companies we work with in the feed milling area have already started to address that. Many of them are at 10 to 15 percent of fishmeal today, and many are looking to eliminate it completely.
Connolly expects global aquaculture feed productionto surpass the 50 million metric ton mark in the next few years, which would be a big milestone, both statistically and psychologically speaking, for the industry, Connolly said
(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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