U.S. Aquaculture Guidelines Drafted

Call for sustainable methods and fish feed opens door for U.S. soy

With more people learning about the benefits of including seafood in their diets, thanks in part to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) 2010 dietary guidelines, the demand for seafood is calculated to rise. In addition, a growing world population with a greater hunger for protein will only add to this demand, equaling opportunity for the global aquaculture industry and, in turn, for U.S. soy. As the photo above shows, soybean-checkoff directors visited a fish farm near Montgomery, Ala., as part of the checkoff’s interest in aquaculture research aimed at investigating and supporting the use of soy in aquaculture.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) recently released a draft of the first U.S. aquaculture guidelines in response to what it says is a growing need for domestically and sustainably produced seafood. According to NOAA, 84 percent of the seafood consumed in the United States is imported, about half of which is sourced from aquaculture.

As consumers become more aware of the health benefits that seafood provides and as global population grows, NOAA anticipates global demand for seafood to increase. To fulfill this demand, aquaculture production will need to increase.

“One of the reasons USB is looking at aquaculture in the United States is that the new USDA dietary guidelines suggest that Americans need more seafood in their diets,” explains Sharon Covert, soybean farmer from Tiskilwa, Ill., and team lead of the newly formed USB Aquaculture Initiative. “Part of the Aquaculture Initiative’s challenge is to help aquaculture farmers be more successful so we can supply the domestic demand for seafood and know we are providing a quality product. But first aquaculture has to be profitable.”

In the draft guidelines, NOAA also provided its aquaculture priorities. In terms of scientific research, NOAA hopes to focus on the development of new feeds to be used in place of wild fish and fish oil. This is a priority of USB’s aquaculture initiative as well, according to Covert. “Each species of fish requires a different feed formulation,” adds Covert.

“USB hopes to research those specific requirements so we can develop rations using soybean meal for the commercially viable species of finfish and shellfish.”