Scottish startup MiAlgae turns whisky waste into omega‑3 algae for fish feed

MiAlgae, a Scottish startup founded by Douglas Martin, is developing a sustainable source of omega‑3 fatty acids for aquaculture. The company feeds micro‑algae with low‑value liquid waste from Scotch whisky distilleries – the 92 % of the distillation stream that remains after alcohol is removed – in large stainless‑steel tanks. The resulting dried algae biomass can replace fish meal and fish oil in aquafeed and pet‑food formulations, cutting the demand for wild‑caught fish used to produce omega‑3.

Martin says the industry has reached the sustainable limit for wild‑catch: “We have reached the sustainable limit for what can be caught from the oceans.” He adds that algae are the original producers of omega‑3, allowing the supply chain to bypass the intermediate fish step. The product is already being supplied to manufacturers of aquaculture and animal feed, offering a lower‑cost, lower‑environmental‑impact alternative to traditional fish‑derived ingredients.