A picture of the fishmeal and fish oil supply chain from West Africa to Europe

The report details how over 500,000 tonnes of fish are diverted annually from West African coastal communities to produce FMFO for European and Asian aquaculture and livestock. It identifies Mauritania as the primary exporter, with a significant portion of its fish oil destined for the EU, particularly France and Denmark. The document links this trade to major European aquafeed companies and retailers, while highlighting the severe socio-economic impacts on local artisanal fishermen and women processors.

• Every year, more than 500,000 tonnes of fish that could feed over 33 million people in West Africa are instead converted into fishmeal and fish oil (FMFO) to feed farmed fish and livestock, primarily in Europe and Asia.
• The FMFO industry relies on small pelagic fish species, specifically sardinella and bonga, which the FAO considers overexploited, posing a serious threat to food security in the subregion. The FAO advised in 2019 that a 50% reduction in fishing effort is required for all sardinella species.
• West African FMFO production grew more than ten-fold between 2010 and 2019, increasing from approximately 13,000 tonnes to over 170,000 tonnes. Mauritania is the largest exporter, producing over 110,000 tonnes of fishmeal and nearly 35,000 tonnes of fish oil.
• The European Union is a major market for West African fish oil; in 2019, more than 70% of the fish oil exported by Mauritania was destined for the EU, with France receiving over 60% of those imports.
• Four leading European aquafeed producers—Cargill Aqua Nutrition/EWOS, Skretting, Mowi, and BioMar—have been connected to West African FMFO suppliers. These companies had combined sales of $3.3 billion in 2017.
• The FMFO industry causes severe socio-economic and health issues in West Africa. In Mauritania, reports include chronic sickness and asthmatic disorders, while in Senegal and The Gambia, the industry competes with women processors and artisanal fishermen for fish, increasing local prices and reducing livelihoods.
• Major European retailers source farmed fish from companies linked to the 'big four' aquafeed producers involved in the West African FMFO trade. Identified retailers include Tesco, Sainsbury’s, M&S, Lidl, and Aldi in the UK; Carrefour, Auchan, and E.Leclerc in France; Mercadona in Spain; and Aldi Süd, Lidl, and Rewe in Germany.
• The report identifies specific shipping routes and companies, noting that Norwegian company Tank AS dominates fish oil exports via chemical tankers, and the port of Algeciras in Spain serves as a primary arrival point for containerised fishmeal shipments from Mauritania.

APA

Changing Markets Foundation (n.d.). A picture of the fishmeal and fish oil supply chain from West Africa to Europe. https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Feeding-a-Monster-EN-low-res.pdf

Chicago

Changing Markets Foundation. A picture of the fishmeal and fish oil supply chain from West Africa to Europe. n.d. https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Feeding-a-Monster-EN-low-res.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Changing Markets Foundation |title=A picture of the fishmeal and fish oil supply chain from West Africa to Europe |url=https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Feeding-a-Monster-EN-low-res.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{changingmarketsfoundationndpicture, author = {{Changing Markets Foundation}}, title = {{A picture of the fishmeal and fish oil supply chain from West Africa to Europe}}, institution = {Changing Markets Foundation}, url = {https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Feeding-a-Monster-EN-low-res.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }