When a salmon farmer plans the next production cycle, the focus is typically on biology, water quality, and growth. Feed is calculated down to the decimal. But behind those precise numbers is a global value chain that few farmers can directly influence.
The nutrients in feeds that enable fish to grow – the omega-3s, essential amino acids, and marine proteins – move through supply chains shaped by trade policy, climate volatility, and strategic positioning by nations.
At the same time, global demand for protein is rising, and aquaculture is expected to carry a significant share of that growth. Yet many of the wild fisheries that supply these nutrients are already operating near their sustainable limits. Climate variability adds further unpredictability to volumes and pricing. That balance feed producers have relied on for years is under significant pressure.
The supply side cannot expand easily. Marine ingredients are constrained by biology and regulation, not just market demand. When annual catches fluctuate, whether due to climate events or quota adjustments, the impact is felt quickly across global feed markets. Meanwhile, aquaculture production continues to grow, adding further pressure on already constrained marine raw materials.
Trade tensions and tariffs over the past year have demonstrated how quickly established supply chains can be disrupted. In parallel, China has positioned itself decisively in marine raw materials and now accounts for more than 70 percent of global fishmeal imports (IFFO). That concentration of demand shapes global pricing power and access. This doesn’t happen by accident. It reflects deliberate, long-term planning around access to marine nutrients.
For countries such as Norway, which have low self-sufficiency in feed ingredients, this creates real exposure. As aquaculture expands, the gap between marine nutrient supply and demand is likely to widen. That means greater volatility, tighter margins, and less certainty around long-term access.
At Aker QRILL Company, we have spent more than 20 years building a fully integrated value chain for Antarctic krill. We control harvesting, onboard processing, logistics, storage, and distribution. We have invested heavily in vessels, technology, and infrastructure over the past two decades, including preparations to operate in new areas such as Area 58 in Antarctica.
This long-term approach is designed to provide stability in an increasingly unstable market. Reliability comes from operational capability and ownership of the value chain, not from short-term contracting.
Krill represents one of the largest marine biomasses on the planet, yet only a small fraction of the science-based quota is harvested each year. The fishery is tightly regulated by CCAMLR, MSC-certified, and subject to continuous scientific monitoring and environmental safeguards. We also support initiatives to protect vulnerable Antarctic areas.
Future feed solutions will combine plant-based, novel, and marine ingredients. However, marine nutrients will remain essential for performance and fish welfare. The trend of reducing marine inclusion rates has practical limits.
As competition intensifies and more actors position themselves around key raw materials, access to sustainable marine ingredients becomes strategically important for Norwegian and Western aquaculture.
Our responsibility is to provide predictability in an unpredictable market. That means investing for the long term, taking operational control, and standing behind the volumes we deliver. Aquaculture’s next phase of growth will depend not only on innovation in feed formulation, but on securing reliable access to the nutrients that make growth possible.