Salmon producers adopt poultry-based feed to offset rising fishmeal costs

Major salmon producers, including Lerøy Seafood Group and Mowi, are increasingly integrating poultry byproducts into fish feed to combat rising costs. The shift is driven by a significant surge in the price of traditional fishmeal, which has nearly doubled over the last two years due to shrinking wild fish populations and high demand from China.

Climate disruptions, specifically the El Niño weather pattern, have severely impacted anchovy harvests in the Pacific, a primary source of global fishmeal. As an alternative, rendered poultry meal offers a more affordable and readily available protein source, costing less than half the price of fishmeal per ton.

While the use of processed animal proteins was previously restricted in Europe due to historical concerns regarding transmissible spongiform encephalopathy, regulations were partially eased in 2013. Despite the economic advantages and digestibility of poultry-based feed, the industry faces potential consumer backlash regarding the perceived naturalness of salmon raised on non-marine proteins.