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) The year 2025 marked a pivotal milestone for Vietnam’s seafood industry in its restructuring process toward sustainability, transparency, and higher value creation, amid continued uncertainties in the global economic and trade environment. Prolonged inflation in major economies, the rising trend of trade protectionism, and increasingly stringent requirements related to environmental standards, traceability, and social responsibility have posed significant challenges to seafood production and exports. Nevertheless, overcoming these pressures, Vietnam’s seafood sector has gradually demonstrated its adaptability, maintained growth momentum, and laid an important foundation for the next stage of development.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Amid the increasingly evident impacts of drought and saltwater intrusion, the shrimp-rice production model in Ca Mau province continues to prove itself as a viable direction, contributing to higher farmer incomes, improved soil conditions and the promotion of ecological and sustainable agricultural development.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The management of fishing vessels, monitoring of fishing activities, and handling of violations in the fisheries sector in Lam Dong province have continued to be implemented in a synchronized and stringent manner, contributing to raising awareness of legal compliance among fishermen and aiming to end illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Can Tho’s fishery industry sustained steady growth in 2025 with total aquatic and marine output reaching nearly 783,000 tons, fulfilling 100% of the annual target. Aquaculture, capture fisheries and fishing fleet management were further strengthened, aiming for sustainable development in the coming years.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In 2025, Vietnam’s pangasius export turnover reached nearly USD 2.2 billion, up 8% year-on-year. This result indicates that pangasius exports maintained their growth momentum despite significant volatility in the global market environment. In December 2025, pangasius export value reached USD 200 million, up 10% compared to December 2024. This solid performance in the final month of the year reflects increased import demand for consumption and inventory replenishment in key markets.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In 2025, Vietnam’s tuna exports to Spain experienced significant fluctuations. According to Vietnam Customs, during the first 11 months of 2025, export turnover for the first 11 months of the year edged up by 0.3% year-on-year, reaching nearly $15 million.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son has signed Decision No. 16/QD-TTg, dated January 5, 2026, approving the implementation plan for the Vietnam-Israel Free Trade Agreement (VIFTA). Under the plan, in the coming period, ministries, ministerial-level agencies, government-affiliated entities and People’s Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities must institutionalize and execute tasks focused on the dissemination of information regarding VIFTA and the Israeli market; legislative and institutional development, as well as enhancing competitiveness and human resource growth...
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Beyond achieving double-digit growth, Vietnam’s fish cake and surimi exports are showing a notable year-end "inflection point": the EU his accelerating with nearly twofold growth, China & Hong Kong are rising sharply, while the largest market, South Korea, signaled a slowdown in November. According to Vietnam Customs data, export turnover of fish cake and surimi reached $327 million in the first 11 months of 2025, up 22% year-on-year; November 2025 alone accounted for $35 million, marking a 5% increase. This serves as a critical foundation for exporters to reassess market structures and competitive intensity while finalizing order strategies for 2026.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Ca Mau, widely regarded as the nation’s “shrimp capital”, continued its strong performance in 2025 as shrimp output reached nearly 600,000 tons, maintaining its position as Vietnam’s leading shrimp-producing locality.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On December 29, 2025, at the 2025 Pangasius Industry Review Conference held in Can Tho City, the Vietnam Pangasius Association announced that fingerling prices have surged to record levels due to acute supply shortages.
VASEP - HIỆP HỘI CHẾ BIẾN VÀ XUẤT KHẨU THỦY SẢN VIỆT NAM
Chịu trách nhiệm: Ông Nguyễn Hoài Nam - Phó Tổng thư ký Hiệp hội
Đơn vị vận hành trang tin điện tử: Trung tâm VASEP.PRO
Trưởng Ban Biên tập: Bà Phùng Thị Kim Thu
Giấy phép hoạt động Trang thông tin điện tử tổng hợp số 138/GP-TTĐT, ngày 01/10/2013 của Bộ Thông tin và Truyền thông
Tel: (+84 24) 3.7715055 – (ext.203); email: kimthu@vasep.com.vn
Trụ sở: Số 7 đường Nguyễn Quý Cảnh, Phường An Phú, Quận 2, Tp.Hồ Chí Minh
Tel: (+84) 28.628.10430 - Fax: (+84) 28.628.10437 - Email: vasephcm@vasep.com.vn
VPĐD: số 10, Nguyễn Công Hoan, Ngọc Khánh, Ba Đình, Hà Nội
Tel: (+84 24) 3.7715055 - Fax: (+84 24) 37715084 - Email: vasephn@vasep.com.vn