Antarctic krill in the water column of the Southern Ocean.
Photo: Aker BioMarine.
Researchers Kiranpreet Kaur from Aker QRILL Company and Dr. Silvia Torrecillas from the Institute of Agrifood Research and Technology (IRTA) of Catalonia are the authors of a new review article that explores the impact of krill-based ingredients on a variety of aquaculture species beyond salmonids, evaluating how krill meal and krill oil can support fish health and growth, even in diets low in fishmeal and fish oil.
With the growing demand for sustainable seafood products and pressure on wild fish stocks, aquaculture not only continues to diversify beyond salmon but is also increasingly looking for efficient and effective feed ingredients that balance performance, cost, and sustainability.
Krill has emerged as one such tool. A small but high-impact ingredient, the review concludes that krill meal and krill oil can play a key role in enabling more sustainable and resilient feed formulations for different fish species.
"Krill meal offers a unique combination of highly digestible protein, phospholipid-bound omega-3s, and functional compounds like astaxanthin and chitin," explained co-author of the review, Dr. Silvia Torrecillas. "This makes it particularly valuable in diets for marine fish that are sensitive to changes in the feed formulation," she added.
Available in Aquaculture, volume 608, 30 September 2025, the article, titled 'Review: Impact of krill products on the growth, health, and fillet quality of farmed non-salmonid fish', highlights strong evidence showing that krill supplementation consistently improves feed intake, weight gain and feed conversion ratio (FCR) in multiple non-salmonid species.
According to Aker QRILL's release on the review article, that variety of non-salmonid aquaculture species includes sea bream, seabass, tilapia, and olive flounder.
In some studies, juvenile fish fed krill meal grew up to 30% faster, with improvements in FCR of up to 17% compared to control groups. The article attributes this effect largely to the palatability and nutrient bioavailability of krill, even at low inclusion levels.
"Across many aquaculture species, we see improvements in not just growth but also in protein and ipid efficiency ratios, with is critical for feed optimization," explained Kiranpreet Kaur, Director R&D quaculture at Aker QRILL Company and co-author of the review.
Infographic on the benefits of including krill meal in the diet of non-salmonid farmed fish.
In addition, the review notes improvements in intestinal morphology, reduced hepatic fat accumulation and increased mucosal protection, all linked to krill's phospholipids, omega-3 and choline content. In other words, in addition to performance, krill meal also supports intestinal integrity and liver health, especially under stress or when diets are low in fishmeal or fish oil.
The article also refers to several studies showing improved immune responses and greater resilience to stress, including higher survival rates under conditions of overcrowding or exposure to pathogens.
"Krill-based diets are shown to help fish better tolerate stressful environments and support a stronger immune system. This is a major benefit in commercial production settings," continued the Director R&D Aquaculture at Aker QRILL Company, the independent company spun out of the Feed Ingredients business of Aker BioMarine.
Likewise, the review also found that the inclusion of krill helps maintain EPA and DHA levels in fillets, ensuring that the final product remains a rich source of omega-3s. The composition and nutritional value of the fillet are naturally important factors for consumers, so beyond the fish performance, the inclusion of krill in the aquaculture diet can also lead to marketing advantages.
Finally, the article also showed that in broodstock diets, krill also promotes better egg quality, hatchability, and larval viability in species such as red sea bream, Nile tilapia, and tongue sole.