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Shea, Lauren Ashley

University of British Columbia

Fishmeal and fish oil (FMFO) are essential components for compound aquatic feeds supporting the fed aquaculture sector, yet their use is controversial. This controversy centers on the utilization of wild fish to feed farmed fish and whether reducing whole fish into flour and oil is the best use of wild fish populations, especially given that the species targeted for FMFO production, mainly small pelagics, play a crucial role in marine food webs and underpin nutrition security for many people worldwide. This controversy is exacerbated by rapid changes in the ocean, driven by climate change. Despite the world’s largest fishery (by weight) being mostly reduced into FMFO, publicly available data on the industry are scarce. This thesis addresses two main questions, 1) what is the global footprint of the FMFO industry, and 2) how will climate change impact the industry? To map the spatial distribution of the FMFO industry, I identified factories in countries producing at least 500 tonnes of fish oil in 2022 (n=63), uncovering 506 factories owned and/or operated by 413 companies. Data on raw materials used to produce FMFO revealed that while most factories utilize fish by-products, many still rely on whole fish. This information has been compiled into an open-source database including company names, factory locations, and raw materials. Building on this, I analyzed projected maximum catch potential (MCPs) for species reduced as whole fish (n=32) under two contrasting climate scenarios: high-emission and low-emission. Findings suggest high variability in projected MCPs across the different species and Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) in which they are caught under both climate scenarios. Summarized by iv continent, aggregate MCP is projected to decline by the mid- 21st century off the coast of Africa, Asia, Europe, with South America experiencing the greatest declines. The findings from this thesis underscore the critical importance of understanding where FMFO production is concentrated to inform the development of cooperative national and international policies promoting environmentally and socially responsible standards for the FMFO industry. Additionally, understanding the impact of climate change on species exploited for FMFO production is crucial for developing more adaptive and sustainable fisheries management practices.

Text

2024-08-30

Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International

http://hdl.handle.net/2429/89119

Oceans and Fisheries

University of British Columbia

UBCV

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/