Feed & Additive Magazine Issue 3 April 2021

SPECIAL STORY 68 FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE April 2021 FutureEUaqua AND SUSTAINABLE INNOVATIVE TAILOR-MADE FISH DIETS The ongoing positive growth trend of the aquaculture industry continues, reflecting the rising demand for healthy human food products. Availability of sustainable ingredients in fish feeds is crucial to maintain the increasing demand of the aquaculture industry and the consumers. In FutureEUAqua, resilient fish, efficient in utilizing sustainable innovative tailor-made diets are developed. Elena Mente School of Agricultural Science, Department of Ichthyology and Aquatic Environment, University of Thessaly, Greece Katerina Kousoulaki Nofima AS, Feed Technology Centre, Norway Ioannis Nengas Institute of Marine Biology, Bio- technology & Aquaculture, Hel- lenic Center for Marine Research, Greece E uropean aquaculture production has reached 1.3 million tonnes in volume with a value of over 4 billion euro (EU-28 member states). Of this amount, 4% is certified as organic, amounting in 2015 to a total of approximately 50,000 tonnes (Lembo and Mente, 2019). Nevertheless, significant bottlenecks present in organic farming need to be overcome in order to maintain this positive trend. In 2015, EU consumers spent 54 billion euro for buy- ing fisheries and aquaculture products, reaching the highest amount ever recorded (EUMOFA, 2017). However, Europe is still heavily dependent on external markets to cover this demand. Thus, EU aquaculture needs to increase the competitiveness of its products and respond to consumer demands for high-quality and safe food, in a challenging context of climate change, greater competition for natural re- sources, and conflicting interests for space and mar- kets. To ensure food and nutrition security by 2030, the food production sectors have to sustainably ex- pand in terms of space use, production and new value chains, exploring and enhancing innovation oppor- tunities offered by sustainable and resilient aquacul- ture production systems, implementing the circular economy principles and increasing social acceptance of the corresponding activities and products. The ongoing positive growth trend of the aquacul- ture industry continues, reflecting the rising demand for healthy human food products. Availability of ingre- dients in fish feeds is crucial to maintain the increasing Industry’s Shining Star FISH FARMING