LCA Food 2012 in Saint Malo, France! - Manifestations et colloques ...

GROUP 1, SESSION A: ANIMAL PRODUCTION SYSTEMS 8 th Int. Conference on LCA in the
Agri-Food Sector, 1-4 Oct 2012
26. How to decrease farmed fish environmental burdens through feed
formulation and feeding management
Assunta Filareto 1,* , Massimo Marino 1 , Umberto Luzzana 2 , Sonia Pignatelli 1
1 Life Cycle Engineering, 2 Skretting, Corresponding author. E-mail: filareto@studiolce.it
The aim of this work is to quantify improvements in farmed fish (European seabass Dicentrarchus labrax
and gilthead seabream Sparus aurata) environmental burdens resulting from the application of latest knowhow
in feed formulation and feeding management.
Environmental impacts from the whole aquaculture production chain were assessed according to the life
cycle assessment (LCA) methodology in order to identify critical areas. The present paper reports results in
terms of greenhouse gases emissions (GWP) and considerations about the reduction of pressure on wild fish
stock.
The LCA was performed per 1 kg of farmed fresh fish considering the whole production chain from hatchery
to fresh fish distribution platform (including the raw materials used for feed production). Results from this
study show that the most significant phases in terms of GHG emissions are feed production and farming
(Fig. 1).
On the basis of the results from the LCA, critical areas for improvement were identified, and the effects of
possible actions quantified on the basis of practical data from the industry, with specific reference to the feed
as the main variable affecting environmental burdens. Our study confirms that FCR improvement (through
the use of nutritionally balanced formulations and careful feeding management) is the most efficient strategy
to reduce environmental burdens (Fig. 2), together with flexible use of raw materials. Moreover, improved
FCR, together with advanced nutritional know-how and freedom in raw materials choice, results in reduced
fish meal and fish oil consumption in farmed fish production, hence alleviating pressure on wild fish stocks.
As consumers recognise the importance of sustainability and the need to reduce environmental impacts from
their food, the adoption of strategies such as the ones mentioned above should be promoted in specifications
for high-value farmed fish.
References
Jackson, A., 2009. Fish in–Fish out ratios explained, Aquaculture Europe Vol. 34 (3).
van den Burg S.W.K. et al., Environmental performance of wild-caught North Sea whitefish, a comparison
with aquaculture and animal husbandry using LCA, LEI report 2011-090, January 2012, Project code
2272000225, LEI, part of Wageningen UR, The Hague.
Winther U., Ziegler F., Skontorp Hognes E., Emanuelsson A., Sund V., Ellingsen H., 2009, Carbon Footprint
and energy use of Norwegian seafood products, SINTEF Fisheries and Aquaculture.
691