Introduction
World aquaculture production of animal species grew by 2.7 percent in 2020 compared with 2019, an all-time low rate of annual growth in over 40 years. However, the net increase of 2.3 million tonnes in the same period was comparable to some years in the last decade. Finfish farming remained steady with minimal fluctuation around 66 percent and accounting for the largest share of world aquaculture for decades.
At the regional level, African aquaculture (excluding algae) suffered from a slight contraction in its annual output (down 1.2 percent in 2020 compared with 2019), mainly the result of the drop in production in Egypt, Africa’s major producer. In Nigeria, the largest producer in sub-Saharan Africa, the declining trend since 2016 worsened in 2020 with a sharp decrease of 9.6 percent. Aquaculture in the rest of Africa enjoyed a double-digit growth of 14.5 percent reaching 396 700 tonnes in 2020 from 346 400 tonnes in 2019.
We recognize a very close relationship and synergy with fisheries because it is a fact: The aquaculture industry will not exist without feed and marine ingredients mainly. Marine ingredients include essential proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals that are important for farmed fish and are also passed on to humans when they eat farmed seafood. Growing global production from aquaculture, as envisioned by the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization in its recent “State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2020” report, will require additional feed and a greater demand for marine ingredients use of marine ingredients in aquafeed will not decline soon. Alternative ingredients with similar nutritional value profiles, and from marine origin should be a solution, and if it is possible to produce it in a sustainable manner
Methods and Materials
A key part of our methodology is to compile and review current aquaculture certification programs and schemes certifying marine ingredients and feed for aquaculture. How they are addressing the marine ingredients for feed in the supply value chain and the interdependency among aquaculture and fisheries certification programs. A full reference list will be shared during the presentation of this paper.
A case study of different alternative marine ingredients has been reviewed and evaluated. Therefore we have tried to examine these sequentially and have attempted to produce an assessment list for consideration at the moment of assessing a new feed marine ingredient and/or alternative – decision-making. Whilst we have provided an overview of the marine ingredients for feed in aquaculture and alternative sources, we have not examined this in detail as several global feed producers may have done in the private sector.
Results and Conclusions
A stairs process approach will be shared as well as reflections on the African feed marine ingredients; reflections on the important requirements are part of the conclusions.
Beyond certifications, the feed producers should start to develop an assurance model that includes KDEs for a continuous evaluation of the feed ingredient composition, origin, nutritional value, food safety, quality, sustainability, and labor conditions of workers in the supply chain.