Dry fish feed has during the last 30 years contributed significantly to the improvement of productivity in fish farming as well as reducing the discharge from farming operations. During this period, knowledge about nutritional needs combined with new technology in traditional raw material processing, as well in feed manufacturing, have been the dominating factors.

The demand for marine raw material (fish meal and oil) will continue to increase due to the growth in fish farming worldwide. The sector, faced with limitations in volume as well as price, will be forced to use other raw materials in diet formulation in order to compete in terms of production costs with other farmed animals. These other raw materials can be found in vegetable as well as in animal sources. What is needed here is a dedicated approach to secure food safety as well as the ability to fulfil nutritional and technical demands.  Since the fish feed sector, compared to the traditional feed compound sector, is limited (but fast growing) the application of resources to manufacturing products and to secure adequate food safety for new products within the fish feed sector has been very limited.

The consolidation of the fish feed sector as well the raw material supply sector should support such developments taking place. A prioritised sustainable long-term plan for the European fish-farming sector is a must for such a development

Niels Alsted has 30 years of experience in aquaculture. 3 years as practical fish farmer, Education in University of Tromsų ( Norway) M.Sc. Fisheries, Ph.D. in fish nutrition in Denmark. Dr. Alsted has been employed in BioMar A/S since 1986. Career history: R&D Manager (8 years), Group Sourcing Director (5 years), Group Executive Director (3 years).

BioMar Group, Mylius Eriksensvej 35, DK 7330 Brande, Denmark.

E-mail: na@biomar-fishfeed.com