Business & Finance
Investigation links France seafood feed supply chains to global environmental abuses
An investigation detailed feed supply chain abuses tied to French farmed seafood, France 24 reports.
The short version
- An investigation by The Outlaw Ocean Project revealed that wild-caught fish feed for aquaculture causes labor hazards, civil unrest, and environmental harm.[France 24]
- Popular farmed species consumed in France, including salmon, depend heavily on feed made from pulverised wild fish.[France 24]
- Experts argue the practice accelerates ocean depletion rather than offering a sustainable alternative to wild fishing.[France 24]
Key facts
- An investigation by The Outlaw Ocean Project linked fish feed production to lost artisanal fishing jobs, chemical exposure, fatal accidents, violent unrest, and geopolitical tensions.[France 24]
- Daniel Pauly stated that the aquaculture industry accelerates ocean depletion because major species eaten in France consume wild-caught fish in their feed.[France 24]
- A 2024 Science Advances review found that approximately 87 percent of global fishmeal is used in aquaculture.[France 24]
- Over 60 percent of salmon eaten in France originates from fish farms in Norway that rely on feed made from wild-caught fish.[France 24]
- The French Ministry of Agriculture set an objective to produce 20,000 tonnes of farmed salmon in France by 2030, according to Pascal Goumain.[France 24]
What remains uncertain
- Whether French retailers and aquaculture producers will alter sourcing practices or mitigate supply chain harms remains unverified.[France 24]
Sources
Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.