{"id":8887,"date":"2024-06-25T14:53:25","date_gmt":"2024-06-25T18:53:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/edfish\/?p=8887"},"modified":"2026-03-07T10:45:37","modified_gmt":"2026-03-07T14:45:37","slug":"can-we-answer-the-questions-eating-at-aquafeed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/edfish\/2024\/06\/25\/can-we-answer-the-questions-eating-at-aquafeed\/","title":{"rendered":"Can we answer the questions eating at aquafeed?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Is aquaculture sustainable? As with so many important questions, the inevitable\u2014often infuriating\u2014answer is, \u201cit depends.\u201d\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As the U.S. looks to expand into open ocean aquaculture (usually between 3 and 200 nautical miles off the coast), we have the opportunity to get things right from the start. We can create diverse local jobs, build a more climate-resilient domestic seafood supply, and, of course, minimize impacts on the climate and environment. We know that aquaculture can already be more sustainable than other forms of food production. But, we can make it even better by focusing on what remains unknown.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

EDF is diving deep into those questions for the nascent U.S. offshore aquaculture industry. Based on a comprehensive scientific study of risks and knowledge gaps and priorities from our partners, the white papers tackle the biggest drivers of aquaculture\u2019s environmental impact, and assemble the established best practices to avoid, minimize, and address risks.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

First, we look at aquaculture feeds, examining advancements in efficiency, novel ingredients that relieve the dilemma of catching wild fish to feed farmed fish, and interventions to help innovations scale. Next, we\u2019ll cover the risks of fish escaping aquaculture pens and the best practices to prevent, minimize, and respond to escapes. Then, we discuss how to minimize the risk of disease spreading within farms and to wild populations. Finally, we survey how technology is de-risking aquaculture from a sustainability standpoint, how much further we could get by accelerating those trends, and where established practices, not new inventions, might be the way forward.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Sustainable considerations for U.S. open ocean aquaculture feed<\/h2>\n

Sustainable aquaculture requires sustainable feed, which accounts for up to 90% of the environmental impacts of aquaculture. Innovations in feed ingredients have helped make strides toward sustainability. Of course, this is good news, but there is still room for improvement. For example, high capital costs and an uncertain regulatory landscape are slowing urgently needed innovation.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In our white paper, \u201c<\/span>Sustainability Considerations for the Expansion of US Open Ocean Aquaculture:\u00a0 Aquaculture Feed<\/span><\/a>,\u201d we look at existing practices, new technologies, and opportunities for advancement that can help the feed industry reduce aquaculture\u2019s environmental footprint while creating new economic opportunities in rural and coastal areas. We\u2019ll break down our findings here.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Sustainability trends and developments in traditional aquaculture feed<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Aquaculture feed sustainability has improved significantly over the past 30 years due to increased efficiency, alternative ingredients, and use of food waste and by-products. Here is what has changed:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n