The Danish Industry

Strategic value

Fishmeal and fish oil have long served as cornerstone ingredients in aquafeeds, occupying a prominent position as well-established and widely recognized feed components. These ingredients play a vital role by providing essential nutrients that far surpass the nutritional value offered by alternative feed options. They have effectively set the standard against which the performance of other feed components is measured. 

Read also more about the strategic role of marine ingredients in our fact sheet here: Strategic Value.

Strategic feed ingredients role in aquaculture

Fishmeal and fish oil remain indispensable components in feed formulations for aquaculture and land-based livestock. Their unique nutritional profiles provide a concentrated source of high-quality protein, essential fatty acids, amino acids, vitamins, and minerals—supporting optimal growth, development, and health in farmed animals and fish.

Key attributes include:

  1. High protein content and digestibility: Fishmeal typically contains 62–75% protein, with digestibility values exceeding 90%, outperforming most other protein sources in animal nutrition. This makes it especially effective for supporting growth and feed efficiency.
  2. Essential omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA): Fish oil is the richest natural source of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, which are critical for immune function, reproduction, and overall vitality. Fishmeal also contributes omega-3s, with typical lipid contents ranging from 8–12%.
  3. Balanced amino acid profile: Fish and terrestrial animals require a set of 10 essential amino acids in their diets, which they cannot synthesize internally. Fishmeal provides these amino acids in highly bioavailable and palatable form, supporting efficient protein synthesis and growth.
  4. Marine phospholipids: Marine-derived phospholipids, present in fishmeal and fish oil, offer superior bioavailability, oxidative stability, and omega-3 content compared to other lipid sources. Their emerging role in functional feeds and nutritional supplements underscores their added value.
  5. Micronutrients and vitamins: Fishmeal and fish oil supply essential minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, and selenium, along with B vitamins (B1, B2, B6, B12) that support metabolic and neurological functions. These micronutrients contribute to a complete and efficient nutrient profile for animal diets.

Thanks to their dense nutritional composition, high digestibility, and unique marine bioactives, fishmeal and fish oil continue to play a strategic role in sustainable, high-performance feed systems across aquaculture and agriculture.

Climate footprint

The production of fishmeal and fish oil in Denmark is characterised by a low climate footprint, particularly when compared to alternative protein and oil sources used in animal feed. The use of short-lived, fast-growing species with high natural productivity, combined with efficient processing technologies and short supply chains, contributes to a highly resource-efficient and low-emission model of production. Marine Ingredients Denmark is working in close collaboration with IFFO – The International Marine Ingredients Organisation to publish comprehensive Life Cycle Assessment data with the aim to have the data independently reviewed and accepted by the Global Feed LCA Institute (GFLI) — the feed industry’s primary reference for standardised environmental impact data.

The inclusion of Danish fishmeal and fish oil in the GFLI database will allow feed manufacturers, aquaculture companies, and supply chain stakeholders to benchmark and optimise the climate performance of feed formulations using verified, standardised environmental indicators such as carbon footprint, land use, and water consumption. This commitment to data transparency, climate accountability, and alignment with international standards supports ongoing efforts to improve sustainability across global food and feed systems.