Input to the European Commission call for evidence: Vision 2040 for Fisheries and Aquaculture

The Changing Markets Foundation argues that the EU's Vision 2040 for Fisheries and Aquaculture must address the structural unsustainability of carnivorous aquaculture. The organization highlights how the reliance on fishmeal and fish oil (FMFO) derived from wild fisheries increases pressure on marine ecosystems and undermines food security in regions such as West Africa, India, Vietnam, Peru, and Senegal. It advocates for a policy shift that prioritizes Low Trophic Aquaculture (LTA)—such as seaweed and bivalve farming—over carnivorous finfish production, while calling for the phasing out of marine ingredients in feed and improved transparency regarding total wild fish inputs in supply chains.

• Carnivorous aquaculture creates a significant ecological and food security burden due to its reliance on fishmeal and fish oil (FMFO). Approximately 25% of global marine fisheries catch is processed into FMFO, with some instances requiring up to 5 kg of edible wild fish to produce 1 kg of farmed fish.
• The production of fishmeal for global aquaculture supply chains diverts small pelagic fish from local human consumption, negatively impacting food security in West Africa, India, Vietnam, and Peru. In Senegal, per capita fish consumption dropped from 32.2 kg in 2000 to 17.8 kg in 2019.
• The Antarctic krill fishery, which is ecologically sensitive and underpins the Antarctic food web, is largely exploited to provide feed for industrial aquaculture serving EU markets.
• Current industry metrics, such as Fish-In Fish-Out (FIFO) ratios, are insufficient because they focus on relative efficiency rather than absolute ecological impact. Despite efficiency gains, total aquaculture expansion means the absolute demand for wild fish remains high.
• The document recommends that the EU Vision 2040 prioritize Low Trophic Aquaculture (LTA), such as bivalve, mollusc, and seaweed farming, which provide ecosystem services and require minimal or no feed inputs, while phasing out marine ingredients in carnivorous fish feed.

APA

Smith, C. (2026). Input to the European Commission call for evidence: Vision 2040 for Fisheries and Aquaculture. Changing Markets Foundation. https://changingmarkets.org/input-to-the-european-commission-call-for-evidence-vision-2040-for-fisheries-and-aquaculture/

Chicago

Smith, Caitlin. Input to the European Commission call for evidence: Vision 2040 for Fisheries and Aquaculture. Changing Markets Foundation, 2026. https://changingmarkets.org/input-to-the-european-commission-call-for-evidence-vision-2040-for-fisheries-and-aquaculture/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Smith |first1=Caitlin |title=Input to the European Commission call for evidence: Vision 2040 for Fisheries and Aquaculture |publisher=Changing Markets Foundation |date=8 May 2026 |url=https://changingmarkets.org/input-to-the-european-commission-call-for-evidence-vision-2040-for-fisheries-and-aquaculture/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{smith2026input, author = {Smith, Caitlin}, title = {{Input to the European Commission call for evidence: Vision 2040 for Fisheries and Aquaculture}}, publisher = {Changing Markets Foundation}, year = {2026}, month = may, url = {https://changingmarkets.org/input-to-the-european-commission-call-for-evidence-vision-2040-for-fisheries-and-aquaculture/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }