Known for their innovative work with Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba), Norwegian feed Ingredient company Aker BioMarine are pioneering the way forward for sustainable, efficient and resourceful feed for all types of marine creatures. Their solution? QRILL Aqua.
The QRILL Aqua family of products are exclusively made up from Antarctic krill, harvested from the Southern Oceans. In 2018 alone, Aker BioMarine contributed to 325 million extra servings of seafood with their innovative QRILL Aqua line.
Recent statistics suggest that only three percent of the population has sufficient levels of omega-3 fatty acids, a resource which also isn’t easy to attain with concerns over the sustainability of fishing being highlighted more and more. Krill is a species here to fix that, rich in omega-3s and a sustainable solution to the world’s protein needs.
What makes krill so special?
As more research is undertaken about krill benefits, it is becoming more and more recognised as the wonder ingredient of the sea. Krill boasts a huge variety of benefits and it is clear to see why Aker BioMarine have invested so much in this wonderful species.
High in protein and omega-3 fatty acids(as well as omega-6 fatty acids) krill is a pelagic crustacean with a biomass on earth of approximately 500 million tonnes, making it one of the most populated species on the earth. The Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) has restricted harvesting of Antarctic krill to one specific region in the Southern Ocean, and annual krill harvests cannot exceed one percent of their total biomass in this particular area, but this still enables companies to harvest more than enough krill to supply feed to all forms of life, whilst also ensuring that krill as a species remains in bountiful quantities and safely maintained.
Aker BioMarine ensure to take sustainability very seriously, being the first krill fishery in history to receive the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)’s certification in 2010 and 2015, each certification lasting five years. The Sustainable Fisheries Partnership, who also analyse fisheries for the sustainability of their fishmeal and fish oil, has for five years in a row granted their Atlantic fishery an ‘A-rating’.
Krill feed provides a great deal of direct benefits to fish and shrimp that makes it very attractive as a feed solution. Krill feed is proven to improve growth and yield in both fish and shrimp, thanks to its digestible peptides and omega-3 fatty acids bound to phospholipids. Various studies have also been carried out which show evidence to support krill feed reducing mortality rates and improving heart health in salmon.
Another valuable feature of krill is that they contain the antioxidant astaxanthin, which has anti-inflammatory properties, counteracting oxidative stress and preventing damage to DNA, lipids and proteins. In addition, astaxanthin provides the pigmentation Choline is also contained in krill which is crucial for digestive functions, heart, liver and one’s cognitive health.
Read the full article, HERE.
The Aquaculturists
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