Alternative ingredients make inroads into salmon feed

For the fifth time since 2010, research institute Nofima has compiled an overview of ingredients used in Norwegian salmon feed. The documentation is based on feed in 2020 from the four largest feed producers. It shows that the composition of feed for Norwegian farmed salmon is approximately the same as in the previous report in 2016. The same applies to the salmon’s utilisation of the feed. There has been a small increase in the volume of both feed and farmed salmon.

But there is one small and important change. “It is that some new ingredients, such as insect meal, single cell protein, fermented products and microalgae were used,” said Turid Synnøve Aas, a researcher in feed and nutrition at Nofima.

Decision makers

Aas is the main author behind the recent report on the utilisation of feed resources in Norwegian salmon farming. This report was produced with data from 2020 and is an update of the corresponding report from 2016.

“The report provides a basis for decision-makers on how we can use the resources and manage them in the best possible way,” said Aas.

In this latest report, new feed ingredients such as insect meal, single cell protein, fermented products and microalgae were included. These accounted for a small proportion, only 0.4% of the total volume of salmon feed, or 8,000 tonnes in total. In 2020, a total of 1.98 million tonnes of ingredients were used and 1.47 million tonnes of salmon and 0.9 million tonnes of rainbow trout were produced.

Norway’s government has set a goal that more of the salmon feed should be produced from Norwegian resources, and that all feed should be from sustainable sources. The report from Nofima provides indications of how feed manufacturers are faring.

Greenhouse gases

“Feed is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the aquaculture industry. It is therefore crucial that more manufacturers use new, sustainable raw materials,” said Bjørnar Skjæran, Norway’s fisheries minister.

“In the next few years, we must see a sharp increase in the use of sustainable raw materials produced in Norway. This can lay the foundation for a new industrial adventure along the coast.”

Eight per cent of the ingredients for fish feed in 2020 were produced in Norway and 92% were imported. Norway only supplied fish oils and fishmeal to the feed, so new ingredients such as insect meal and single-cell protein were not produced in Norway as of 2020.

100% sustainable by 2030

“The government has a goal that all feed for aquaculture will come from sustainable sources by 2030, and we will thus create a new industry in Norway. If we are to succeed in finding the best and most effective solutions, industry, research and politics must work together,” said Skjæran.

Nofima’s report does not assess whether the ingredients are sustainable. But the researchers have examined certifications. The majority of marine raw materials are certified under various schemes, and all soy protein concentrate was certified as not genetically modified.

The researchers have also documented the country or area of origin for almost all the ingredients. The report shows that just over 10% of these ingredients came from Russia in 2020.

22% marine ingredients

Norway’s rainbow trout production corresponds to 6% of salmon production. The utilisation of resources in the production of trout has been reported for the first time. The report shows that there are some minor differences in utilisation between the two species, but they are almost equal.

Salmon feed in 2020 consisted of 12% fishmeal, 10% fish oil, 41% vegetable protein sources, 20% vegetable oils, 13% carbohydrate sources and 4% micro-ingredients. In addition, 0.4% of new ingredients such as insect meal and microalgae were used.

Dare to change

Bente Torstensen, former researcher in fish nutrition and now head of the aquaculture division at Nofima, thinks this is promising, despite the low number.

“There is a huge volume of an ingredient needed to make up a large proportion of salmon feed. It’s very demanding, but it’s under way. We cheer on big and small producers who invest and dare to take a chance, because it determines how much and how fast the salmon’s diet changes,” said Torstensen.

The research has been funded by the Fisheries and Aquaculture Industry’s research fund (FHF).