faux fish Archives - Green Fish Blue Oceans

image Verlasso Salmon pens, Chile

On today’s episode, I’m tackling F is for Farmed Fish and Faux Fish.

Listen here, or download on iTunes or Google Play.

Did you know by 2050 with our growing global population, we will need seven percent more protein to feed the world than we have today?

Some of that protein will be farmed fish, and some will be fake fish.

Welcome to the F is for Farmed Fish part of the program. Today, we’ll explore farmed fish or aquaculture, what types of farming are practiced, the best edible seafood species to farm, some aquaculture challenges, and, lastly, success stories in aquaculture worldwide.

What is aquaculture?

Aquaculture, or farmed fish, is the rearing and harvesting fish in water environments for human consumption.

Now, anyone who knows me knows I believe that aquaculture will help feed our growing global population, reduce the stresses on wild fish populations while restoring habitats, and strengthen our food security. When done right, aquaculture provides an energy-efficient, high-protein, low-fat resource.

There are numerous methods of fish farming or aquaculture

Aquaponics
Raceways
Recirculating aquaculture systems known as RAS in the industry
Open ocean pens
Sea cages
Suspension ropes
Racks and lines (oysters, scallops, mussels, algae)
Ponds (shrimp, tilapia, mullet, and bream)
Surface lines
Sea ranching (scallops and cucumbers)

Some farming methods are better than others. Because the list is long and time is limited, if you would like to know more about a specific farming method, shoot me an email. But know this: ninety-five percent of aquaculture is done in ponds. In the US, 85 percent of aquaculture is done in a RAS.

Of the hundreds of edible seafood, which are the best to farm?

Shellfish, clams, oysters, mussels (all filter feeders leaving the water in better shape than before)
Kelp (seaweed)
Crustaceans (shrimp—the world’s most beloved seafood)
Finfish

Did you know that 50 percent of all fish consumed is farmed? And friends, that number is only going to rise.

Since fifty percent of all fish are farmed, and our global population is growing, the need for successful aquaculture is a matter of life and death.

Aquaculture has existed for over 4000 years, first developed in China. In the US, the industry blossomed in the 1970s, but it was not without its challenges.

So, what are the challenges of farmed fish?

One of the biggest challenges with aquaculture is fish feed, specifically the ingredient list and the FIFO, or fish in fish out ratio.

Fish need protein. And lots of it. Much of that feed ingredient comes from wild fisheries in the form of fish oil and fishmeal and from pelagic species like anchovies and sardines.

Wild fisheries that we are overfishing.

So here’s a little something to chew on before I dive into the challenges of farmed fish feed.

We already know that ninety percent of the large fisheries, sharks, whales, and Pacific Blue Fin tuna have collapsed. Wild Atlantic salmon and New England cod are two prime examples of species that were fished to near extinction. In the last fifty years, 51 marine species have become extinct due to overfishing.

Overfishing is at a crisis level.

We’re depleting wild fish species to feed farmed fish!

Yeah. That’s crazy, right?

Fortunately, that’s changing for the better. We’ll look at some solutions in a few minutes.

But let’s dig in a little more about the feed.

Fish are the most efficient converters of food to flesh. Or fish in, fish out, called FIFO in the industry. Most farmed fish are in the FIFO range of 3:1 to 1:1, the latter being the most efficient end of the scale—one pound of feed equals one pound of fish out.

So, how does that compare to other farmed protein industries? Called Feed Conversion Ratio in other industries, beef is 9:1, pork is 6:1, chicken is 2:1, and crickets or insects are 1.5:1.

What are some other challenges with aquaculture?

Antibiotics are used to eliminate diseases, but that creates a problem with superbugs. There’s also waste to dispose of and escapement for ocean-farmed fish. There are production costs and pollution in the form of carbon emissions in land-based farmed systems. Human slavery is still a problem in the farmed fish industry in Thailand, for instance.

So where’s the good news?

Technology and innovation have improved the farmed fish business and will continue to improve.

For the last several years, scientists, chemists, biologists, chefs, engineers, food disruptors, and farmers have been working to change the fish feed landscape and the aquaculture industry.

Innovation will enable fish feed from microbes, algae, yeast, soy, seaweeds, and insects. A vegan fish feed is already on the market. Technology will make farming operations more efficient and safer.

Success Stories

To date, the most efficient and productive success story takes place in Southern Spain on an island in the river, ten miles inland from the ocean. La Veta La Palma is a premier example of sustainable aquaculture in a natural setting. This 28,000-acre farm developed an artificial wetland habitat by converting ponds and restructuring the water flow. They raise sea bass, bream, mullet, and shrimp. They farm rice and develop dry crops. The farm is so productive it attracts over 200 species of migratory birds, many of which are endangered, making this a natural paradise. There are no antibiotics or GMOs.

Australis Barramundi (aka seabass) in Massachusetts
TwoXSea farms trout in California using a vegan feed
Kampachi Farms yellowtail, a sashimi-grade fish in open pens in Hawaii
Verlasso Salmon farms Atlantic salmon in Chile using a yeast compound feed that mimics Omega 3s eliminating the need for wild fish oils and byproduct
Langsand Lax in Denmark is the largest land-based salmon farm in the world. They use a highly efficient recirculation system. Earlier this month, they got full approval to build a land-based salmon facility in Florida, the first of its kind in the US
Blue Ridge Aquaculture in Virginia is the largest land-based tilapia farm in the world using RSA, fresh never frozen, no antibiotics
Food Chain in Lexington, KY is an educational facility that farms tilapia and greens in a hydroponics system

There are fish farms in high-rise buildings in Hong Kong and on a Wisconsin dairy farm. There are fish farms in wastewater treatment facilities in Kentucky. There is no shortage of opportunities to farm fish wherever you live.

The future of farmed fish and land-based fish farms will increase in the future. And while many operations are successful, plenty are not. Not all land-based farms are the superstar darlings of sustainable fisheries just yet. The cost to operate these facilities can be three times that of an ocean pen farming operation because of licenses, equipment, and facilities. Other challenges are maintaining water temperatures, oxygen levels, PH levels, and high carbon outputs.

So why continue to farm fish?

Fewer fish die, and fish grow faster

There is little need for antibiotics (b/c everything is controlled).

Fish waste can be recycled for compost to grow vegs or produce electricity.

Plus, it’s good business.

Remember, wild fisheries will be depleted if we don’t supplement fish stocks with aquaculture.

Is farmed fish safe to eat?

Yes and no. The US has strict environmental and food safety regulations, so if you live in the US, you will support American farmers and the economy.

Think about this. In the US, nearly 90 percent of our seafood is imported. Only 2.5 to 3 percent of that seafood is inspected at the docks. Some countries do not practice good food safety laws.

If you love fish like I do, ask questions, like where your fish comes from. Read the package labels at the market. Follow trusted recommendation guides like Seafood Watch and the Environmental Defense Fund.

Alright, that’s it for farmed fish.

F is for Faux Fish

It’s no secret that seven billion people are living on thirty percent of the earth’s surface. And that growth is expected to continue to nine billion by 2050 and eleven billion by the end of this century. Seems like a long way off, but to put it into perspective, think about yourselves for a few seconds. Where will you be in 2050? What about their kids, your grandchildren? What kind of world will they be living in? What will they be eating?

So, with all this protein talk, how much protein do we need in our daily diets?

According to the US Dept of Agriculture, an average 130-pound female needs forty-seven grams of protein daily. For a 170-pound male, sixty-two grams is recommended.

As I mentioned earlier, an increasing population needs more protein, and fish is one of those highly sought-after proteins.

Fish farming is not the only solution to our growing global protein needs and to saving our wild fish populations.

Enter Faux Fish

That’s right, plant-based fish products.

Venture capitalists have a term for the people and companies developing faux fish: Food Industry Disruptors—or foods that replace conventional animal agriculture.

So how does that work?

Well, the most important criteria for any good food is texture and taste, right?

Well, it’s not rocket science. But it is chemistry. And technology using mass spectrometry and texture sensors. It’s innovation. It’s students, nutritionists, biochemists, engineers, and chefs.

Several plant-based seafood products are currently being tested on the market, and more are being developed in the lab.

Plant-based products include quinoa, seitan, mushrooms, yellow pea proteins, seaweed, nuts, and high-quality soy.

New Wave Foods makes PopShrimp shrimp made from algae
Tomato Sushi offers sushi made from tomatoes that look like tuna
There is Tofuna Fysh, which makes fysh oil and fysh sauce.
Sophie’s Kitchen in California makes a line of shelf-stable, refrigerated, and frozen vegan seafood items made from konjac, a mineral-rich plant that has almost zero calories and is high in dietary fiber. They offer Smoked Salmon, scallops, mac’ n cheese, and jambalaya, and their most popular retail item is The Vegan Toona. Coming soon: Glazed Salmon bacon!
Veggie World in the UK makes its award-winning vegan prawns.
Gardein in the US makes fishless filets and crabless cakes.

While faux fish is still in its infancy, it is a growing industry. The Plant-based food industry contributes $13.7 billion to the US economy alone. Jobs generated in the industry offer an annual income of $59,400. But that figure includes other plant-based products in the meat, chicken, and dairy categories.

So I should add that I haven’t tried any of these products, nor am I doing a product endorsement—not that I don’t want to. I am eager to try any faux fish product, so if you’re a food disruptor and you would like to connect and collaborate, please send me a message. For the record, I did try cricket bars for the first time and found them to be earthy, chewy, nutty, and sweet. I am game!

There is no better time in our history to be a sustainable food disruptor, whether you want to farm fish, develop faux fish, or enjoy delicious food that is good for you and the oceans.

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