Several of the world’s leading aquafeed manufacturers and seafood producers announced their interest to trial fish-free aquafeeds developed by the winner or a finalist of the F3 (Fish-Free Feed) Challenge. The companies include Marine Harvest, Alpha Feed, Guangdong Yuehai Feed Group, and Dainichi. 

“This is the first time that so many large established companies have committed to offering fish-free feed trials, which signals a turning point toward viable and cost-effective alternatives to fishmeal and fish oil,” said University of Arizona Professor Kevin Fitzsimmons, the former president of the World Aquaculture Society and lead spokesperson for the F3 Challenge. 

The world’s largest producer of Atlantic salmon, Norway-based Marine Harvest has committed to offering a trial to the winner of the F3 Challenge, in the case that the novel feed or feed ingredient is appropriate for Atlantic salmon. The free trial includes covering the costs of a pilot-scale feed trial at their research facility and 50 hours of researcher time.

China-based aquafeed manufacturers Alpha Feed and Guangdong Yuehai Feed Group Co., Ltd.  have committed to run digestibility and grow-out trials for the winner or a finalist that has feeds for their species of interest. 

“The F3 contest will become a milestone in the development of innovative and sustainable aquaculture,” Alpha Feed Chief Technical Officer Deng Deng said of the F3 Challenge.

In a joint statement to the F3 Challenge sponsors, Alpha Feed and Yuehai Feed expressed the importance of innovation in fish-free feed is to “protect the environment and depleting wild fisheries, increase the resilience of the aquafeed industry to the fluctuation of fishmeal production and price, and to make feeds more competitive in terms of cost.” 

Japan-based Dainichi also indicated a willingness to test fish-free feed developed by the winner or a participant of the challenge in an effort to shift toward more economically viable aquafeeds. 

Learn more about the F3 Challenge