The European feed manufacturers association (FEFAC) will organise a stakeholder workshop on 8 April 2014 in Brussels to closely look at the current and future options for sustainable fish feed sources in order to meet the policy objectives set out in the new Common Fisheries Policy, as well as to discuss market and consumer acceptance of innovations in the field of sustainable fish feed sources. In the Common Fisheries Policy reform package a new chapter was included on the importance of the sustainable development of aquaculture with a key emphasis on the need for sustainable fish feed. A clear call was made for an increase in the production of EU aquaculture in order to guarantee the long-term food security for European citizens as well as to contribute to the growing world fish food demand.
FEFAC has invited Dr Martin Alm from EFPRA to speak about the nutritional profile of non- ruminant processed animal protein and the current experiences and challenges for its use in fish feed, after the EU reauthorisation in June 2013. Professor Jonathan Napier from Rothamsted Research will speak about the ongoing research into transgenic crops to serve as a terrestrial aquafeed source of omega-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids. Both sources have the potential to significantly reduce the need for fish meal and fish oil and thereby improve the overall sustainability of EU aquaculture.
The second part of the workshop will focus on the market acceptance aspect of future sources in aquafeed, and the available existing Aquaculture sustainability standards. FEFAC has invited speakers from ASC, IFFO, MCS, IUCN, WWF and DG SANCO to discuss these topics and share their perspective on the requirements for the sustainable development of EU aquaculture. FEFAC’s Fish Feed Committee Niels Alsted said that “this workshop will enable the complete aquaculture value chain, together with EU and national policy makers and stakeholders, to openly discuss the potential innovations in EU aquaculture that could make fish feed even more sustainable in the future, as well as to avoid the creation of additional burdens to fish farmers because of miscommunication and misperceptions about alternative feed sources”.
