USA – Dr. Rebecca Lochmann, a professor of aquaculture and fisheries at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB), is spearheading a significant research project focused on enhancing the sustainability of hybrid striped bass production. 

Supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS) through its 1890 Faculty Research Sabbatical Program, the initiative aims to explore novel plant and insect-based feed ingredients.

Partnering with Dr. Carl Webster, an ARS fish nutritionist, Dr. Lochmann’s research is centred on evaluating the use of insect meals and oils as alternative feed sources. 

This research, conducted at the H.K. Dupree Stuttgart National Aquaculture Research Center, seeks to assess how these novel ingredients affect the growth performance, body composition, gut histology, and gene expression of sunshine bass.

Dr. Webster emphasised the project’s goal: “The objective is to reduce or eliminate the use of marine fish meal in diets for hybrid striped bass. This shift is crucial for the sustainable growth of the aquaculture industry and optimising profitability for domestic producers.”

The hybrid striped bass industry, primarily in the mid-Atlantic, southern, and western U.S., has experienced substantial growth. From 2013 to 2017, food fish production increased by 62%, with further growth in 2018 bringing the estimated industry value to 56 million dollars.

Dr. Lochmann highlighted the industry’s challenge of finding sustainable and cost-effective diets. Marine fish meal, while highly valued for its nutrient content and palatability, is expensive, and its reliance poses sustainability issues due to static or declining wild fish stocks.

In response, the research is investigating the potential of insect meal, specifically full-fat black soldier fly larval meal (BSFL), as a replacement for fish meal. 

Insects offer a promising alternative due to their high-quality protein, minimal land and water requirements, and low environmental impact. 

Preliminary results indicate that BSFL meal may meet the nutritional needs of hybrid striped bass, potentially offering a more sustainable protein source.

Dr. Webster noted, “Preliminary results suggest that BSFL meal could effectively replace fish meal in hybrid striped bass diets, impacting aquatic animal nutrition by promoting environmentally sustainable protein sources.”

Dr. Lochmann emphasised the broader implications of this research for global food security, highlighting aquaculture’s role in meeting future protein demands. 

With the world population expected to rise by 2 billion by 2050, scaling up food production is crucial. Aquaculture, particularly through research on species like hybrid striped bass, has the potential to contribute significantly to future protein supplies.”

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