The F3 – Future of Fish Feed is challenging fish farms worldwide to go “fish-free” in their feed supply chains with the launch of the F3 Fish Farm Challenge, a global competition rewarding farms that lead the transition to aquafeeds made without marine animal ingredients. The challenge is designed to enhance feed supply chain resilience by encouraging the use of new, innovative alternatives that will future-proof fish farming operations.

A total of USD 200,000 in cash prizes will be awarded to four top-performing farms that sell the most carnivorous finfish raised on marine-animal-free feeds in one of two contest tracks:

• A two-year contest that rewards farms already producing and selling carnivorous finfish on feeds free of marine-animal ingredients.
• A four-year contest that rewards farms embarking on new feed and farming innovations and those raising slower-growing finfish species.

Registration for both contest tracks opens on September 16, 2025.

“By incentivizing farms to innovate, the F3 Fish Farm Challenge reduces pressure on wild fish stocks while building a more resilient and sustainable farmed seafood system for the future,” said F3 judge Kevin Fitzsimmons, professor at the University of Arizona. “Amid growing supply chain uncertainties, this contest offers an opportunity to future-proof farm operations by developing strong, sustainable feed contingency plans.”

The challenge is open to farms producing carnivorous finfish on marine-animal-free feeds. The prize money will be awarded to the registered farm, which may team up with feed companies, ingredient suppliers, or other partners. To qualify, farmers must use marine-animal-free diets beginning no later than the fingerling stage, though they may start earlier. Full contest rules are available at www.f3challenge.org.

Fish farming now supplies over half of the world’s seafood and plays a vital role in meeting the world’s protein needs. However, many popular seafood choices, such as salmon, still rely heavily on diets that contain wild-caught marine ingredients like fishmeal, fish oil, and krill.

"Many wild-capture fisheries are at or beyond sustainable limits, driving up feed costs and threatening production stability. The 2023 closure of the Peruvian anchoveta season showed how quickly these disruptions ripple through the industry. Reliance on wild-caught marine-animal ingredients is a weak link in the aquaculture supply chain, putting its growth and global seafood security at risk, while also affecting vital marine ecosystems," the organization said.

The F3 Challenge fosters innovation to reduce reliance on wild-caught marine ingredients in aquafeed. By incentivizing the development and adoption of nutritionally equivalent alternatives, the Challenge helps accelerate industry change toward more resilient, diversified, and environmentally responsible seafood production.