by Neil Auchterlonie, Technical Director, IFFO
The readers of International Aquafeed may be reliably well-informed, but sadly, it appears that some basic misunderstandings abound in some quarters about how the fishmeal industry operates, why fishmeal and fish oil (FMFO) are fundamental to aquafeed and hence aquaculture production, how certification in the sector operates, and why the use of raw material for FMFO is a good thing for global society.
The quote, apparently attributable to Mark Twain, of “never let the truth get in the way of a good story” comes to mind when reading the outputs from some campaigns.
The readers of International Aquafeed may be reliably well-informed, but sadly, it appears that some basic misunderstandings abound in some quarters about how the fishmeal industry operates, why fishmeal and fish oil (FMFO) are fundamental to aquafeed and hence aquaculture production, how certification in the sector operates, and why the use of raw material for FMFO is a good thing for global society.
The quote, apparently attributable to Mark Twain, of “never let the truth get in the way of a good story” comes to mind when reading the outputs from some campaigns.
It was based on the concept of collaboration. The resulting efficient application of a global standard that has supported responsible sourcing of marine ingredients for a decade has, without doubt, had beneficial effects on fisheries and marine ecosystems around the world.
The development of the standard was through the efforts of many knowledgeable and dedicated people across the value-chain, as well as the NGO community and other seafood certification bodies.
Some other misunderstandings occur with an unfortunately reliable frequency. These misunderstandings generally relate to three different areas, namely the use of fish as raw material for FMFO; the use of fishmeal and fish oil in feeds; and notions that the fishmeal industry is somehow emptying the oceans of fish.
Those criticisms ignore the facts. Markets determine the destination of the fish, whether into fishmeal or fish as food (food markets take fish suitable for direct human consumption as they pay more for the raw material).
Fishmeal and fish oil provide essential nutrition not found in other ingredients as a single package (feeds may be made without these materials, but the formulations call for higher levels of supplementations of individual nutrients, such as for example essential amino acids).
Read more, HERE.
The Aquaculturists
No comments:
Post a Comment