In addition to its trend analysis, IFFO also advocates for the long-term sustainability of marine ingredients.
Photo: IFFO.
IFFO, The Marine Ingredients Organisation, released its monthly report this week on global trends in fishmeal and fish oil production, which shows that both remained stable in August.
If, in July 2025, we learned that fishmeal production increased by approximately 8% year-on-year, and fish oil recorded an increase of around 5% compared to the same period in 2024, in August, the figures remained unchanged for the former and only fell slightly for the latter.
According to IFFO's market intelligence reports, in August 2025, the total cumulative annual fishmeal production rose by approximately 8% compared to the same month last year, while cumulative fish oil output showed a year-on-year increase of around 4%.
Regarding fishmeal, The Marine Ingredients Organisation said that the increase was due to higher production in most regions, except in Northern Europe, which recorded year-on-year declines. Similarly, most countries recorded positive trends in fish oil production compared to January–August 2024, except for Spain and Peru.
As highlighted by IFFO's report, Peru's lower oil yields during the recent fishing season played a significant role in the overall decline. In an average year, the South American country accounts for around 20% of global production of both fishmeal and fish oil, so its fishing calendar always has an impact on production volumes and market trends globally.
While this is happening globally, in China—where trends are analyzed based on other types of data, such as farmed fish production or the pork sector—domestic production of marine ingredients declined in the first nine months of 2025 compared to the same period last year.
However, according to The Marine Ingredients Organisation, due to a strong demand for fishmeal, local production of marine ingredients is expected to improve in the coming weeks.
IFFO said data from the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture shows that, despite recent challenges caused by extreme weather events such as high temperatures and typhoons, domestic farmed fish production during the first eight months of 2025 exceeded that of the same period last year. As temperatures begin to drop, the peak season for aquaculture production and demand for marine ingredients is expected to end in October.
Nevertheless, trend analysis by The Marine Ingredients Organisation in China estimated that, during this period, fishmeal consumption in aquaculture exceeded last year's levels, supported by a significant improvement in the profitability of some farmed species.
In contrast, the pork sector is facing lower demand for piglet feed due to falling prices. Reflecting a lack of confidence, producers remain cautious and have recently implemented measures such as reducing breeding sow stocks and limiting repeat fattening. These measures are expected to support pig prices in the future, but they are also likely to result in a decline in the overall supply of pigs and piglets and, therefore, marine ingredients for their feeds.
Except for China, where, as mentioned, IFFO relies on other types of sources, all the data included in its monthly report is based on statistics shared by the organization's members in Chile, Denmark, the Faroe Islands, Iceland, Ivory Coast, Mauritius, Norway, the UK, the U.S., Peru, South Africa, and Spain, which represent 40% of global fishmeal production and 50% of fish oil production.
In addition to its work analyzing trends, The Marine Ingredients Organisation also works to support the long-term sustainability of marine ingredients. As such, it is one of the driving forces behind a new study on the sustainability of aquaculture feed ingredients, which urges the aquaculture industry to integrate circular economy principles into the design and production of fish feed.
Led by Dr Brett Glencross, IFFO's Technical Director, along with a team of renowned scientists and industry representatives, the study found that marine ingredients such as fishmeal and fish oil can have a lower carbon footprint than many plant-based alternatives, warning that reducing their use without a holistic view could actually increase the overall footprint of aquafeeds.
Modern aquafeeds currently use more than 40 ingredients, and over the past two decades, as plant-based raw materials have become more common, the average proportion of marine ingredients has fallen from 25% to 9%. The authors pointed out that, while this change has eased pressure on wild fish stocks, it has also connected aquafeed production more closely to agriculture, bringing new challenges, including biodiversity loss and higher carbon emissions.
Commenting on the study, Glencross said that one of the key drivers of circularity is the need to improve the sustainability of feed ingredient use. "By applying a common, agreed set of rules, we can ensure that environmental burdens are not simply transferred from one product to another," the IFFO's Technical Director said.