Introduction

Fish meal remains one of the most important protein sources in global aquaculture and animal feed production. Its high crude protein content, balanced amino acid profile, and strong digestibility make it especially valuable in feeds for shrimp, salmon, marine fish, poultry, and livestock. Despite growing interest in alternative proteins, fish meal continues to play a critical nutritional role, particularly in early life-stage feeds and high-performance formulations.

Procuring fish meal on a global scale, however, has become increasingly complex. Supply depends heavily on wild-capture fisheries, with the Peruvian anchoveta fishery exerting a major influence on global availability and pricing. At the same time, aquaculture demand continues to rise, while sustainability standards, regulatory oversight, and logistics constraints place additional pressure on procurement teams.

For feed manufacturers, integrators, and livestock producers, disruptions in fish meal supply directly affect formulation costs, production planning, and animal performance. Procurement functions have therefore evolved beyond transactional purchasing into strategic roles focused on risk management, quality assurance, and long-term supply security. This article examines the key challenges in global fish meal procurement and outlines how structured sourcing strategies and reliable supplier partnerships can help build resilience.

The Volatile Nature of Global Fish Meal Supply

Fish meal supply is inherently variable due to biological, environmental, and regulatory factors. Peru has long been the world’s largest producer, typically accounting for around 20 percent of global fish meal output in normal years. Production volumes fluctuate significantly depending on anchoveta stock health, fishing seasons, and government-imposed quotas.

Environmental patterns such as El Niño and La Niña play a major role in shaping fish biomass along the Pacific coast. Warmer sea temperatures can reduce nutrient upwelling, leading to lower fish availability and smaller allowable catches. In recent years, poor anchoveta fishing seasons contributed to a notable decline in global fish meal production, with industry estimates indicating a reduction of more than 20 percent during particularly weak years. Although subsequent seasons showed partial recovery, these cycles highlight the structural volatility of supply.

Beyond environmental factors, several additional dynamics influence availability:

Fisheries management and quotas
Sustainable biomass management often limits catch volumes to protect long-term stock health, directly constraining raw material supply.

Rising domestic consumption
Countries with expanding aquaculture sectors, such as China and Vietnam, increasingly retain fish meal for local use, reducing export volumes.

Logistics and geopolitical disruptions
Port congestion, labor shortages, trade policy changes, and extreme weather events can delay shipments and disrupt delivery schedules.

Together, these factors make reliance on spot-market purchasing risky. Many buyers now use forward contracts, diversified sourcing, and buffer inventories to manage exposure to supply swings and price volatility.

Quality and Consistency as Core Procurement Challenges

Availability alone does not guarantee suitability. Fish meal quality varies widely, and maintaining consistency remains one of the most persistent procurement challenges. Nutritional value depends on parameters such as crude protein content, fat levels, ash percentage, and freshness indicators including histamine and total volatile nitrogen.

High-quality fish meal typically contains between 60 and 72 percent crude protein, depending on species and processing method. This grade supports efficient feed conversion and stable animal performance. Lower-quality material, characterized by reduced protein or elevated spoilage markers, can force nutritionists to adjust formulations, increase inclusion rates of alternative ingredients, or accept performance trade-offs.

Several factors contribute to quality variability:

Fish species and raw material condition
Anchoveta, menhaden, sardines, and other forage fish each have distinct nutrient profiles.

Handling and timing at sea
Delays between harvesting and processing increase spoilage risk and reduce nutritional value.

Processing technology and controls
Well-managed cooking, pressing, and drying preserve protein and marine oils, while poor temperature control can damage amino acids and fats.

To manage these risks, buyers increasingly rely on structured quality assurance processes. These include pre-shipment inspections, independent laboratory testing, and verified certificates of analysis for each batch. Relying solely on supplier declarations without third-party verification exposes buyers to formulation issues and commercial disputes.

Sustainability and Traceability as Procurement Requirements

Sustainability has become a central requirement in fish meal procurement, particularly for buyers supplying markets in Europe, North America, and parts of Asia. Certification schemes such as IFFO Responsible Supply and the Marine Stewardship Council provide frameworks for verifying responsible fisheries management, legal sourcing, and traceability throughout the supply chain.

Certified fish meal helps feed producers meet customer expectations and regulatory requirements while supporting long-term resource management. However, certification adds complexity to procurement. Only a portion of global fish meal production meets these standards, and verifying compliance across fisheries, processors, and traders requires detailed documentation and regular audits.

Traceability expectations have also increased. Buyers are often required to trace fish meal back to specific fisheries and processing facilities. Digital documentation platforms, batch-level tracking, and centralized data systems are becoming more common tools to support transparency and reduce reputational risk.

Logistics and Regulatory Challenges in Global Trade

Fish meal trade involves complex logistics and regulatory oversight. As an animal-derived product, fish meal is subject to health certification, biosecurity controls, and import regulations that vary by destination. Documentation requirements may include sanitary certificates, contaminant testing results, and detailed shipping records.

Regulatory frameworks continue to evolve. Changes in allowable contaminant thresholds, updated testing protocols for heavy metals or dioxins, and shifting tariff structures all affect trade flows. Incomplete or inconsistent documentation can lead to customs delays, demurrage costs, or rejected cargoes, disrupting feed production schedules.

Logistics capacity also plays a critical role. Availability of containers, bulk vessels, and inland transport influences delivery timelines and freight costs. Recent geopolitical disruptions and extended shipping routes have demonstrated how quickly freight markets can tighten, reinforcing the need for proactive logistics planning and reliable transport partners.

Strategic Sourcing and the Value of Trusted Partners

Given these challenges, many buyers are moving away from opportunistic purchasing toward long-term sourcing strategies built around trusted supplier relationships. Working with experienced global partners offers several advantages:

For companies seeking to strengthen their fish meal supply chains, Chemtradeasia  supports this strategic approach by offering access to diversified sourcing, quality-focused procurement processes, and experience in global logistics and certification requirements. This partnership model helps buyers move from reactive purchasing toward structured, resilient sourcing.

Conclusion

Global fish meal procurement is shaped by environmental variability, quality inconsistency, sustainability expectations, and logistical complexity. These factors interact in ways that can quickly disrupt supply, affect feed costs, and challenge operational planning.

Modern procurement strategies emphasize more than price. They prioritize supply continuity, verified quality, certified sourcing, and transparent logistics. By combining disciplined procurement practices with reliable supplier partnerships, feed manufacturers and livestock producers can reduce risk, support sustainability commitments, and maintain consistent nutritional performance.

In an increasingly competitive and regulated market, strategic fish meal sourcing has become a core capability. Organizations that invest in resilient procurement structures position themselves to navigate volatility while securing the high-quality nutrition required for long-term success in global aquaculture and animal production.