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In this interview, Prof. Ling Cao discusses new research highlighting growing risks to fishmeal and fish oil supplies and the implications for aquaculture. She outlines why diversifying aquafeed ingredients is essential for sustainability, resilience, and long-term food security, and reflects on the challenges and opportunities facing novel feed adoption.

COP30 brought food and agriculture to the centre of the climate agenda, with aquatic food systems, algae aquaculture, and low-carbon feeds gaining new prominence. Yet formal negotiations delivered limited progress, leaving livestock, aquaculture, and feed outside binding agreements. Our analysis unpacks what these signals mean for agribusiness, investors, and policymakers shaping the future of feed innovation.

Asia is shaping the future of aquaculture, representing 75% of global production and a pivotal market for novel feed ingredients. As demand rises and climate and supply chain pressures grow, the region will need scalable, practical, and locally suited feed solutions. Advancing adoption will depend on regulatory clarity, knowledge sharing, and financing models aligned with the realities of Asian aquaculture.

Meeting the nutritional needs of farmed fish doesn’t require reliance on fishmeal or fish oil when the right formulations and digestibility are in place; novel feed ingredients can deliver the full spectrum of essential nutrients. Alternatives like algal oils provide safe, scalable EPA and DHA, reducing dependence on FMFO without compromising growth, health, or feed efficiency.

Algal oil has gained regulatory approval for use in aquafeed across major markets, including the EU, US, Canada, and Australia, thanks to its strong safety and sustainability profile. Supported by leading certification schemes, algal oil offers a safe, traceable alternative to fish oil. Expanding regulatory approval in Asia will be key to unlocking wider adoption and ensuring a sustainable future for global aquaculture.

Fish oil prices spiked in 2023 during El Niño, cutting Peruvian output by over 50% and sending aquafeed makers in search of reliable lipids. Algal oil filled the gap. Produced from microalgae and rich in EPA+DHA, it offers nutritional equivalence to fish oil with stronger safety and sustainability. Our forthcoming State of the Industry report maps how algal oil is produced, where it’s approved, market growth by 2030, and the actions needed to scale adoption.

Aquaculture is now the fastest-growing source of seafood, but its reliance on fish meal and fish oil is unsustainable. Novel feed ingredients such as microalgae, single-cell proteins, and insect-based meals offer scalable solutions to reduce pressure on wild fish while maintaining performance. This article explores how feed innovation can drive the next wave in sustainable aquaculture.

To feed nearly 10 billion people by 2050, global food production must rise 56%. Yet conventional animal feed drives deforestation, overfishing, and resource strain. Innovation is essential. Novel ingredients such as algae and single-cell proteins can reduce environmental impact, strengthen resilience, and help build a sustainable, science-driven food system for the future.

From San Francisco to London, the message was clear: the future of sustainable food systems depends on what we feed to farmed animals....

Novel feeds are emerging ingredients that replace traditional sources of animal feed, such as fishmeal and soybean meal. By providing...

In September 2024, the Centre for Feed Innovation (CFI) was launched with a single, urgent mission: to make our global food supply more...