The aquaculture sector faces several sustainability challenges, including the ones related to feeds and feeding. These relate to fish and shrimp biology, environmental impacts, occupation of coastal areas, and consumer demands and perceptions.

When we talk about feeds and feeding, we need to consider first the nutritional requirements of the fish/shrimp species being farmed. Fish have requirements for protein, lipids, vitamins, and minerals. The nutrient requirements of fish and shrimp are variable and affected by factors such as species, feeding habits, digestive system, developmental stage, and environmental conditions.

So, when formulating aquafeeds we have to make sure that we cover the nutrient requirements of species, know the nutrient content of ingredients, and assess the availability and cost of ingredients. We must also set minimum and maximum levels of ingredients, based on fish biology and feed technology constraints. We need to take into account the usefulness of using some particular ingredients or additives that could promote functionalities such as, animal welfare (immune status, stress/disease resistance), flesh quality (pigmentation), and reproduction.