EU aquafeed demand reached nearly 1.1 million tonnes in 2023, European Commission study finds

A new European Commission study has provided what it describes as a comprehensive assessment of the EU aquafeed sector, covering feed demand, raw material use, regulation, sustainability, traceability and supply-chain security.

The Study on Feed for Aquaculture – Aquafeed, completed in June 2026 for the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA), estimates that feed demand for ten key species investigated in the EU increased from less than 900,000 tonnes in 2013 to almost 1.1 million tonnes in 2023. Demand for pelleted feeds alone increased from 567,058 tonnes to 666,893 tonnes over the same period.

The report places these figures within a broader European market that, including EU and non-EU countries, produced around 4.8 million tonnes of aquafeed in 2024, equivalent to 9.1% of global production.

Methodology and species coverage

Rather than relying solely on reported feed production data, the study modelled feed requirements for the main farmed species by combining a literature and data review with stakeholder consultation. For each species, feed demand was estimated primarily from aquaculture production and feed conversion ratios (FCR), using the equation production × economic FCR. The authors acknowledge uncertainties in this approach, including the use of FCR values that may originate from controlled experimental conditions rather than commercial farms.

Species assessed included Atlantic bluefin tuna, Atlantic salmon, common carp, European seabass, gilthead seabream, meagre, rainbow trout, whiteleg shrimp, sole, sturgeon and turbot.

Seabream, trout and seabass lead pelleted feed demand

Among species assessed, gilthead seabream accounted for 31.8% of EU pelleted feed demand in 2023, followed by rainbow trout at 28.9% and European seabass at 26%. Shrimp and sole represented only 0.02% and 0.54%, respectively.

European seabass feed demand increased by 35% over the decade, while gilthead seabream grew by 13.6%. Meagre recorded the strongest relative expansion, with estimated feed demand increasing ninefold to 25,045 tonnes in 2023.

Atlantic bluefin tuna stands apart because it is largely fed whole fish rather than compound diets. Its estimated feed requirement increased from around 180,000 tonnes in 2013 to almost 500,000 tonnes in 2023, reflecting its particularly high FCR. Rainbow trout was identified as the species with the highest feed expenditure among those assessed, with annual feed demand averaging around 288,000 tonnes.

Plant ingredients now account for more than half of material demand

To estimate ingredient requirements, the study used feed composition information published by major manufacturers including Cargill, Skretting, BioMar and Irida. For pelleted feeds used by the target species in 2023, vegetable proteins and starch raw materials represented approximately 312,000 tonnes, or 47% of total material demand. Marine proteins accounted for an estimated 121,700 tonnes and terrestrial animal proteins for 99,900 tonnes.

Overall, materials of plant origin represented 55.3% of estimated material demand for pelleted feeds, compared with 27% for marine materials. Fish and algal oils accounted for approximately 58,800 tonnes and vegetable oils for 57,000 tonnes.

The report estimates EU fishmeal self-sufficiency at 76%, while fish oil imports exceed exports, leaving the industry exposed to external supply conditions.

Alternative ingredients face scale and cost barriers

The study assessed insects, microbial proteins and algae as potential alternatives to conventional ingredients, but identified cost, scalability and regulatory compliance as major barriers to broader adoption.

According to an analysis included in the report, replacing 30% of fishmeal with poultry by-product meal could reduce the blended ingredient cost from EUR 1.47/kg for fishmeal to EUR 1.244/kg. By comparison, a 40% inclusion of Tenebrio molitor meal resulted in an estimated blended cost of EUR 2.42/kg. Black soldier fly meal and single-cell protein both produced an estimated blended cost of EUR 1.57/kg under the assumptions used.

Regulation supports safety but can slow innovation

The study notes that aquafeed is not governed by a single EU-specific regulation but by a combination of food and feed safety, environmental, animal by-product, GMO, traceability and other legislation. EU feed standards were described as stricter than those in many non-EU jurisdictions.

Surveyed stakeholders highlighted the EU Deforestation Regulation for its traceability requirements, while animal by-product and TSE legislation were identified as constraints on some animal-derived ingredients. The study also identified 22 certification schemes and ecolabels relevant to aquafeed supply chains, concluding that greater harmonisation could reduce duplication.

Feed costs and supply-chain resilience

The report notes that aquafeed can represent more than 50% of production costs in fed aquaculture, making feed efficiency and raw material price stability particularly important. The study concludes that further progress will require improved feed efficiency, greater use of by-products and circular raw materials, commercially scalable alternative proteins and oils, and regulation capable of maintaining high safety and traceability standards without unnecessarily constraining innovation.