The salmon value chain in Europe is at a turning point: from the historical dominance of fishmeal and fish oil, it is transitioning towards alternative feeds and soil-based farming models which promise less pressure on the oceans and a more stable supply. The goal is clear: to ensure omega-3 fatty acids and the health of fish without depending on increasingly limited raw materials.
The change isn't just being discussed at conferences; it's already happening in the supermarket. Microalgae projects in the UK and Norway are being combined with the launch in Italy of salmon from land-based systemsMeanwhile, the industry is refining a roadmap based on ingredient complementarity, traceability, and supply resilience.
Why salmon feed is changing
For decades, the nutritional needs of salmon were met with fishmeal and fish oil, rich in long-chain omega-3 essential for growth, immunity, and fillet quality. But pressure on forage fish populations and climate variability (such as El Niño events) have highlighted the fragility of this dependence.
Aquaculture consumes the majority of these inputs: according to researchers, around 87% of the flour and the 74% of the oil Many fish byproducts end up in aquaculture feed, with salmon being one of the main users. This exposes producers and consumers to price spikes and limited supply, pushing the industry to diversify its raw material mix.
- 87% of the flour and 74% aquaculture uses fish oil.
- The availability and price of fish oil are suffering high volatility due to climatic factors.
- Growth is projected to be close to 40% in farmed salmon production towards 2033.
Microalgae and other ingredients: from the laboratory to the farm
Among the alternatives with the most traction are the microalgaecapable of providing protein, lipids, and omega-3 without going through the forage fish stage. Recent trials with Nannochloropsis sp. in salmonid diets show that it can maintain comparable growth rates and nutritional value, provided certain adjuvants are adjusted.
In those formulations, the addition of taurine and lecithin This has proven key to improving palatability and digestibility, replicating attributes naturally present in fishmeal. Furthermore, microalgae can be cultivated in brackish or wastewater, with high biomass productivity per area, reducing pressure on soils and freshwater.
Innovation also comes from Scotland: biotechnology MyAlgae It produces oil and microalgae biomass using whisky distillation byproducts in a circular economy model. Its ingredient, marketed for aquaculture diets (e.g., MiAlgaeFishâ„¢), is integrated into extrusion processes as a wet paste or dry product, addressing two challenges simultaneously: availability of omega-3 and reduction of industrial waste.
The big challenge for all these novel ingredients remains the scale and costThe modular strategy and the use of by-products allow for increased competitiveness, but mass adoption depends on achieving sufficient volumes and competitive prices in a demanding market context.
A mix strategy, not a substitution strategy
Technical voices in the sector, such as those from the Marine Ingredients Organisation (IFFO), agree that fishmeal and fish oil are transitioning from commodities to strategic inputsThe approach that is gaining strength is that of complementarity: combining microalgae, vegetable proteins, insect meal or single-cell proteins with certified marine fractions, assigning each component a specific nutritional function.
Practical examples already exist. The Norwegian network Salmon Group It has incorporated microalgae oil since 2020, while Cermaq Norway evaluates new raw materials (omega-3 and proteins) using criteria such as performance, nutritional composition, scalability, cost, market acceptance, food safety y traceabilityCollaboration between feed manufacturers, ingredient suppliers, and producers is, at this point, a technical and commercial requirement.
Impact on the European consumer: Italy as a barometer
The shift in production is already appearing in retail. Since October 9th, Esselunga has been offering smoked salmon in Italy sourced from... ground systems Thanks to the collaboration between Salmon Evolution (Norway) and Milarex, under the brand The Icelander. The offering appeals to consumers who value flavor, animal welfare, transparency, and a environmental footprint more contained.
With new production phases about to come online, Salmon Evolution anticipates increase volumes and extend agreements in Europe. This type of deployment can mitigate the fluctuations in fish oil prices and offer greater regularity of supply, although adoption will remain linked to the cost competitiveness and the short-term macroeconomic conditions.
European salmon farming is moving towards diversified feeds and land-based farms to build resilience, ensure omega-3 levels, and ease pressure on the oceans. The smart mix of certified marine inputs and alternatives —microalgae, insects and single-cell proteins— along with collaboration across the entire chain, outlines a more stable industry aligned with market expectations.
