There is a buzz in aquaculture about Nuseed’s Aquaterra® Omega-3 oil, which is derived from Nuseed Omega-3 Canola and developed specifically for fish nutrition.
Aquaculture consumes nearly 70% of the world’s omega-3 supplies for feed uses, to raise healthy fish and meet consumer demand. However, the industry needs alternative sources of omega-3 nutrients to grow, as oceans are unable to provide enough of the essential nutrient that is tenable for the future. Specifically, they need long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), which are essential nutrients in salmon feed. These nutrients are historically sourced from ocean caught fish.
Pablo Berner, Nuseed’s Aquaculture Lead, based in Chile, said: “Fish producers are focused on fish performance, efficient feed conversion ratio, fish health and fillet quality. Aquaterra has a positive impact on those attributes, while promoting responsible best practice within the industry.”
Early in development, Nofima, a third-party Norwegian research organization, approached Nuseed about running clinical tests on the benefits of Aquaterra in aquaculture.
Bente Ruyter, Senior Scientist at Nofima said: “One of the major challenges in aquaculture is the lack of omega-3 in fish feed. Plant-based omega-3 can provide a stable source of these oils to secure the growth of the aquaculture industry.”
Multiple studies in Norway and Chile confirmed Aquaterra Omega-3 oil meets the nutritional requirements of salmon farmed for human consumption. It maintains fish growth and health while increasing survivability of the fish. The fillet benefits from increases in total levels of omega-3 fatty acids and a more favorable Ω-6/ Ω-3 ratio.
Aquaterra contributes to a marked improvement in the fish in-fish out (FIFO) ratio and forage fish dependency ratio (FFDR), reducing dependence on marine ingredients and addressing the goals of the industry.
