European Salmon Producers Shift to Poultry-Based Feed Amid Rising Costs
Major salmon farms adopt chicken byproducts to replace expensive, scarce traditional fishmeal supplies.
1Industry Shift to Poultry
Major salmon producers, including Leroy Seafood Group and Mowi, are transitioning to poultry-derived feed at their offshore farms. This shift involves using chicken bones, livers, and brains to replace traditional fishmeal. Companies like SalMar have already begun testing these alternative pellets to maintain production levels amid significant industry-wide supply chain challenges.
2Economic Drivers of Change
The primary motivation for this transition is the doubling of traditional fishmeal prices over the last two years. Poultry-based feed costs approximately half the price per tonne compared to fish-based alternatives. With global climate changes and resource scarcity, producers are scrambling to find cost-effective, high-protein solutions to sustain their large-scale operations.
3Safety and Regulatory Context
Feeding salmon poultry products was illegal until 2013 due to concerns regarding Mad Cow Disease. Regulations were relaxed after evidence confirmed chicken does not carry bovine prions. Experts now classify these byproducts as high-quality, safe protein sources that are free from antinutritional factors, mirroring the nutritional profile of traditional fishmeal.
4Transparency and Consumer Perception
Manufacturers are currently not required to disclose the specific ingredients used in animal feed to consumers. Research from Nofima indicates that while the practice is safe, consumers in the UK and France often view poultry-fed fish as unnatural. This creates a significant transparency gap regarding what actually constitutes the salmon's diet.
5Supermarket Policy Divergence
UK supermarkets maintain varying stances on the issue. Marks & Spencer explicitly prohibits the use of land animal proteins in their salmon feed. Conversely, other major retailers like Tesco and Asda have not provided clear public policies regarding third-party brands, leaving the presence of chicken-fed salmon in their stores currently uncertain.
6Sustainability and Circular Economy
Proponents argue that utilizing chicken byproducts supports circular economy principles by repurposing waste. Traditional fishmeal production requires harvesting vast quantities of edible fish, which contributes to overfishing and stock depletion. Advocates believe that using poultry waste is a more sustainable long-term strategy for the aquaculture industry than relying on wild-caught fish.
7Global Industry Precedents
The use of poultry-based feed is not an entirely new development in global aquaculture. Farmers in Chile and Canada have successfully utilized these methods for several years without significant safety issues. European producers are now adopting these established practices as a necessary response to the limited availability of traditional marine-based feed resources.
8Future Market Implications
As major suppliers integrate poultry feed, the presence of these products in UK retail is expected to grow. While experts believe consumers will eventually accept the safety of these products, the industry faces a branding challenge. Future success depends on balancing cost-saving production methods with the need for transparent communication with shoppers.