After 14 years with the USDA\'s Agricultural Research Service, Rick Barrows talks about the importance of finding \"a complete package,\" in terms of an alternative source of omega-3 fatty acids, and continuing innovation in the aquafeed sector in a new article from the Global Aquaculture Advocate.
\"Reducing aquaculture’s dependence on marine products is crucial for several reasons. During the discussion on marine products, however, the fact is often forgotten that the agriculture community needs to expand the food supply drastically as the human population continues to expand. Fishmeal and fish oil are nutritious products, but there’s simply not enough available for this expansion to continue. The state of the forage fish population in the wild is another area of great concern. There are very few ingredients that can truly replace fishmeal since it carries so many micronutrients. We can successfully remove fishmeal entirely from the diet of carnivorous fish, however, but only if all the essential nutrients are provided from other sources. These includes vitamins, amino acids, fatty acids and trace and macro-minerals.\"
