Category: Raw materials

FOR OUR PLANET

There is no doubt that the sustainable development of the aquaculture sector is the highest priority of all those involved in this process.

 

Raw materials are not inexhaustible and obviously their use requires rationality and best practices.

 

While the need for marine proteins is constantly increasing, targeted actions are needed that result in a real saving of raw materials.

 

Dibaq’s research and development department, aims to create products that will result in maximum performance with the smallest environmental footprint. It is with great pride, excitement and optimism we share our achievement for 2022 target, that 93% of marine ingredients used, come from trimmings – by products and not from wild fisheries.

 

Customers are provided with technical advice and support so as to achieve the best possible result.

 

It is clear that achieving as low as possible feed conversion rates entails apart from the beneficial use of raw materials and significant improvement of financial results, which also means sustainable business management.

 

However, we must not overlook that the good management of raw materials also implies the best practices of production management. 

 

So it seems that in order to form an essential condition where the environment will have a primary role, all participants of fish farming  should be possessed by the same concept of saving resources and substantial protection of the environment.

 

It is not enough to produce correctly and in sustainable terms, but to be able to transport and distribute products on the basis of perfect management conditions. 

 

The environment concerns all of us and the end result is the responsibility of all of us. So we should be talking much more about environmental culture and less about individual actions of everyone.

 

At Dibaq, we support initiatives and strategies in the direction of creating a culture of environmental management. We want to be part of a large chain of partners who embrace our own priorities and needs. At the end of the day it’s not a choice, it’s our obligation. Let’s blue revolution have the green future it deserves.

 

A VALUABLE RAW MATERIAL

Fish intended for direct human consumption is often processed in a way that makes the eating experience easier and faster for the consumer. That processing gives rise to by-products such as heads, entrails, bones, skins, tails, etc.

All these by-products are considered a valuable raw material from which fishmeal and fish oil can be produced and can come from wild-caught fish or aquaculture processing.

In terms of reducing such by-products into valuable marine ingredients, some fishing vessels are even equipped to retain or process by-products on board, and shore-based facilities have developed fast and efficient collection methods to ensure optimum quality in their manufactured meals and oils.

CAPTURES

As reflected in the latest report The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture (SOFIA, hereinafter), the FAO estimates that the total world capture fisheries are close to 100 million tons per year. These catch levels have been relatively stable since the late 1980s, primarily due to growing awareness of the need for sustainable fishing. According to the figures presented in the SOFIA report, the percentage of the capture fisheries that was used for direct human consumption in 2018 was approximately 75 million tonnes and about 15 million tonnes of the remaining capture fish was used as feedstock to produce marine ingredients. Additionally to capture fisheries, the aquaculture industry is responsible for an impressive growth in the supply of fish for human consumption, producing around 82 million tonnes of fish in 2018.

When we analyse fishmeal and fish oil separately, we find that the world production of fishmeal from by-products represents 29.8% while the production of fish oil from by-products represents 51% of the total production of fish oil.

Although these numbers tell a promising story, there is still a large percentage of the by-product of fish for human consumption that is wasted instead of being converted into high-value products that contribute to the supply of nutrient-rich marine food.

In addition to this, global fish production is expected to continue to grow, mainly due to growth in aquaculture fish production. It goes without saying that the increase in aquaculture production will also guarantee a growing potential supply of raw material to produce these marine ingredients.

It is essential for our sustainable livelihood to encourage as much as possible the continuous development and optimization of the collection and processing of this invaluable source of raw material.