Products from algae are becoming more diverse by the day, principally due to the rapid technological innovations developed by ABO members that harness many of algae’s most valuable, and natural traits.
One type of algae is high in omega-3 nutrients that are vital to the health of all animals. Besides being an important nutrient for humans, they are also an important component of many animal and fish feeds. For some time, many omega-3 supplements in feeds have been derived from fish, which places enormous pressure on ocean ecosystems. In addition, omega-3s have experienced an increase in demand that is further raising prices and straining traditional sources.
That’s why we are celebrating the recent expansion of algae-based feeds into fish farming, specifically the news that ABO member TerraVia’s AlgaPrime™ DHA is now being used by leading aquaculture companies around the globe.
Lerøy Seafood Group, the leading exporter of seafood from Norway and the world’s second largest producer of Atlantic Salmon, recently announced the use of AlgaPrime™ DHA in their feed to enhance the sustainability and omega-3 profile of salmon. Check out the press release, as well as coverage on the announcement in FeedNavigator and Undercurrent News.
In addition, Ventisqueros, S.A., a leading Chilean salmon farmer, announced they are using AlgaPrime™ DHA in the feed for their Silverside™ Premium Pacific salmon. The feed formulation developed by BioMar dramatically reduces the number of wild fish that must be harvested to produce their farmed salmon. The press release is here, as well as additional coverage including Undercurrent News and Fish Update.
These new algae-based feeds not only increase the nutritional value of the farmed fish, they are also produced with fewer land, water and other resources that come with non-algae sources of omega-3s.
At ABO we believe this is just the beginning of a new way to improve aquaculture’s sustainability and value as a food source for people around the world. We’ll keep you updated on the next milestones!