Transforming aquaculture with insect-based feed: restraining factors

The use of insects as a sustainable protein source for animal feeds, particularly in aquaculture, dates back to the 1930s, but gained significant traction in the 1980s. While fishmeal dominated the feed industry for many years, overfishing and rising demand for aquaculture protein have led to a search for alternatives like insect meal. Insects, especially black soldier flies and mealworms, offer high feed conversion efficiency, low land and water use, and the ability to recycle organic waste. This makes them an environmentally friendly alternative to fishmeal and soy. However, scaling up insect farming remains a challenge, with factors like cost, quality control, and regulatory barriers still to be resolved. Although insect-based feeds have shown the ability to replace significant amounts of fishmeal and soy in aquafeeds, further research, investment, and innovation are needed to make insect farming economically viable and to meet the growing demand in the aquaculture sector. Read the full article on Animal Frontiers.