Small fish such as sardinella are an affordable source of protein and essential nutrients for millions of people across West Africa.
Some of these fish are increasingly exported or processed into fishmeal and fish oil for aquaculture feeds used in high-income European countries and across East Asia, particularly China. As nutrient deficiencies are common in people living in parts of West Africa, retaining more fish for local consumption could help improve diets and address dietary health problems.
Aquaculture is one of the world’s fastest-growing food production sectors. Despite its growth in the last three decades, global wild fish catches for marine ingredients have declined overall. Production has increased in some regions, including West Africa, but the overall decline is mainly due to improved fishery management that allows recovery of fish stocks.
Globally, a quarter of wild-caught fish are processed into fishmeal and fish oil, and only a small share originates from West Africa. Most is used in animal feed, with aquaculture accounting for the largest share. These provide valuable nutrients, particularly in early-life-stage diets and for carnivorous species such as salmon and shrimp, while contributing to the relatively low carbon footprint of farmed seafood.
The supply of marine ingredients is highly regulated and fairly stable but should not be taken for granted. Climate change and warming periods such as El Niño can weaken the upwelling of nutrient-rich waters from the deep sea. This reduces the availability of plankton and fish and limits the supply of marine ingredients required for aquaculture.
This means we need to make the best use of the resources already available. Fish processing by-products (including heads, guts and skeletons) are playing an increasingly important role, accounting for 34% of global fishmeal production and 54% of fish oil supply in 2024.
Some scientists argue that fish, such as anchovies and mackerel, provide more essential nutrients when eaten directly rather than used as feed. Most species used in the marine ingredients industry have low market appeal and limited consumer demand, meaning that diverting fish from feed to food does not automatically improve food security.
Peru’s anchoveta fishery is the world’s largest fish stock used to produce marine ingredients. Despite its scale and nutritional value, there has been low demand for anchoveta as a food fish within Peru. Factors such as low demand, short shelf life, limited logistics and strong economic incentives to process fish into fishmeal and fish oil have often hindered the development of markets for some fish as food. Strategic use of some fish as feed can help convert marine resources into nutritious and accessible seafood.
To make the most of limited marine resources, the aquaculture industry could improve how it tracks fish and nutrients as they are transformed into farmed seafood. (The Conversation)