Norwegian salmon farms switch to chicken-by-product feed to cut costs

Lerøy Seafood Group announced that all its salmon farms will be fed with a new formula that includes chicken processing waste such as bones, livers and brains, a change prompted by the sharp rise in fishmeal prices over the past two years. The company says the poultry-based feed costs less than half of conventional fishmeal and meets its operational needs. Major rivals Mowi, Grieg Seafood and SalMar are also adopting or testing the same approach in Norway and Scotland.

Retailers like Waitrose and Sainsbury’s have placed restrictions on salmon raised on poultry-derived feed, while the practice has been accepted in countries like Chile and Canada. Animal-rights groups warn that shoppers cannot easily determine what the fish were fed, as feed ingredients are not required on product labels. The move reflects broader pressures on the aquaculture industry from climate-related fishery declines and growing demand for fishmeal from China.