Nutritious Fish ‘Wasted’ On Animal Feed, Canadian Scientists Say

More than a quarter of the oceans’ fish catch is ground up to feed animals instead of humans, a study by Canadian scientists found. In a look at so-called “forage fish” — small varieties such as anchovies, sardines, and mackerels, usually found in dense schools in the mid-oceans — researchers from the University of British Columbia reported that while these fish are eaten by larger species, they also “contribute significantly to human diets, particularly among people with low incomes.” Yet 90 percent of the world’s forage-fish catch is turned into fishmeal, fed to farmed animals that fetch a higher price for human consumption. Because forage fish make up 37 percent of the overall catch, that means 27 percent of total “landings” never make onto a dinner plate. “These small, tasty fish could ”¦ feed people,” said lead author Jacqueline Adler. “Society should demand that we stop wasting these fish on farmed fish, pigs, and poultry.” The study appears in the November Annual Review of Environment and Resources.