IFFO, The Marine Ingredients Organisation, today released its second Annual Report, giving a succinct overview of the group’s work with the aim to engage and inform stakeholders. IFFO enjoyed another fruitful year with a continued growth in membership, over 1,082 delegates attending 5 IFFO hosted events, 90 market reports published, and a series of technical projects completed. The report takes readers through IFFO’s various technical projects, events, market reporting and governance.

A key area highlighted throughout this report is IFFO’s increased investment and focus on data gathering and technical reports, with the aim of effectively communicating the strategic and vital role of marine ingredients. In order to increase and speed up technical projects, the IFFO Board developed a new process for commissioning projects and increased investments. Examples of this evidence-based approach include IFFO’s projects on the use of antioxidants, which are essential to the viability of the fishmeal sector as they are required to stabilise and protect fishmeal during transportation. IFFO, together with a number of other funders, contributed to the additional safety studies on ethoxyquin, which are an important component of the reauthorisation process in the EU. IFFO also completed project trials on antioxidant stabilisation with the kind support of some of IFFO’s members. The data from the trials contributed to the work with the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), and the amendment of the shipping codes. Other important project work has looked at the management of forage fish stocks, raw material supply, environmental impacts relative to other feed ingredients, and co-sponsorship of an international scientific conference on small pelagic fish stocks.   

Another area of focus has been IFFO’s market research service, which continues to grow largely thanks to information gathered from members who represent between 75% and 80% of total annual trade worldwide. On top of this, IFFO has continued to grow its extensive network of international bodies and government departments to regularly exchange market data. These include UN FAO, USA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the China Fishery Society and a newly agreed connection with the Faroese Fishery Department. This network has resulted in production and/or trade annual data being gathered for 110 countries; monthly data for 40 countries and weekly data for around 10 countries. In addition to this, IFFO has develop various time series on prices and on production of competing commodities, whose length sometimes goes back to several decades.

Upon the release of this report, IFFO’s Director General Andrew Mallison noted that “IFFO has been working hard over the past year to build our on existing data and identify gaps to ensure that we continue to effectively communicate the vital importance of marine ingredients. This report succinctly draws together all our work and I am proud of our pivotal role that we hold in the industry.”

The English report is available to download here, Spanish and Chinese are available here.

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Please contact:                 Georgie Harris, Communications Manager

T: +44 (0) 2030 539 195

E: [email protected]

Notes for Editors

1. IFFO is an international trade organisation that represents and promotes the marine ingredients industry, such as fishmeal, fish oil and other related industries. Marine ingredients are nutritious products used mainly for aquafeed, land animal feed as well as for human consumption and are derived from marine organisms such as fish, krill, shellfish and algae. IFFO’s members reside in more than 50 countries, account for over 50% of world production and 75% of the fishmeal and fish oil traded worldwide. IFFO is an accredited Observer to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). More information at www.iffo.net
2. Fishmeal is a natural, balanced, highly nutritious feed ingredient used in diets for farmed fish and crustaceans and as a high protein supplement in nutritionally demanding periods in the life cycle of pigs and poultry, as well as in pet food.
3. Fish oil is the major natural source (97%) of the healthy long chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, EPA and DHA. Most fish oil is used in feeds for farmed fish and there is an expanding market for fish oil for human nutritional supplements and functional foods. Fish as Food or Feed: The use of small species of fish as farmed animal (including fish) feed is important for global food security and is entirely appropriate if the source fishery is well managed and does not deprive local communities of good quality food for which there is a demand.