Skip to main content
ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #205509

Title: Fish oils from Alaskan seafood processing by-products: an un-exploited sustainable resource for aquaculture

Author
item OLIVEIRA, C - UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA
item STONE, D - UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO
item PLANTE, S - UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA
item SMILEY, S - UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA
item Bechtel, Peter
item HARDY, R - UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO

Submitted to: World Aquaculture Magazine
Publication Type: Popular Publication
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/14/2007
Publication Date: 7/3/2008
Citation: Oliveira, C.M., Stone, D.A., Plante, S., Smiley, S., Bechtel, P.J., Hardy, R.W. 2008. Fish oils from Alaskan seafood processing by-products: an un-exploited sustainable resource for aquaculture. World Aquaculture Magazine. 39(2):50-51, 69.

Interpretive Summary: Oils from marine fish have several unique chemical properties, including high levels of the nutritionally important omega-3 highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFA), primarily eicosapentaenoic (EPA C20:5'3) and docosahexaenoic acids (DHA; C22:6'3). The fatty acids found in oils derived from Alaskan seafood by-products are nutritionally well suited for inclusion into aquaculture feeds and are similar in many respects to those found in menhaden oil. Alaskan fish oils also have three desirable characteristics that make them suitable to fill valuable niches in two increasingly important areas of fish production: 1. High levels of omega-3 fatty acids, particularly EPA and DHA; 2. Very low levels of organic contaminants; 3. The oils are currently underutilized and could be made available with changing economic circumstances. These characteristics also make Alaska fish oils suitable for incorporation into aquaculture finishing diets that may also contain substantial amounts of plant oils.

Technical Abstract: Oils from marine fish have several unique chemical properties, including high levels of the nutritionally important omega-3 highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFA), primarily eicosapentaenoic (EPA C20:5'3) and docosahexaenoic acids (DHA; C22:6'3). The fatty acids found in oils derived from Alaskan seafood by-products are nutritionally well suited for inclusion into aquaculture feeds and are similar in many respects to those found in menhaden oil. Alaskan fish oils also have three desirable characteristics that make them suitable to fill valuable niches in two increasingly important areas of fish production: 1. High levels of omega-3 fatty acids, particularly EPA and DHA; 2. Very low levels of organic contaminants; 3. The oils are currently underutilized and could be made available with changing economic circumstances. These characteristics also make Alaska fish oils suitable for incorporation into aquaculture finishing diets that may also contain substantial amounts of plant oils.