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Title: Alternative Protein Sources in Aquaculture Diets

Author
item Lim, Chhorn
item WEBSTER, C. - KENTUCKY ST. UNIV.
item LEE, C. - OCEANIC INSTITUTE

Submitted to: Complete Book
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/17/2007
Publication Date: 2/25/2008
Citation: Lim, C.E., Webster, C.D., Lee, C.S. 2008. Alternative Protein Sources in Aquaculture Diets. New York:Haworth Press. 571 p.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Aquaculture will remain as a major food producing sector in the foreseeable future. However, due to decreasing availability of land and water resources, increased land costs and stricter government regulations, modern aquaculture operations are geared toward product intensification and efficiency. Successful operations of this production system depend heavily on the availability of good nutrition because feeds represent the greatest cost in intensive fish farming. At present, aquaculture feeds, especially those for commercially important carnivorous species, are heavily dependent on fish meal to meet their critical protein requirements. The global supply of fish meal will likely remain static or decline because capture fisheries have reached maximum sustainable yields and there may be diversion of fish away from fish meal production for direct use in human diets and other applications such as organic fertilizers. These trends, together with the increased demand of fish meal not only as a result of expansion and intensification of aquaculture industry, but also the increased competition among other consumer segments such as the husbandry of pets and livestock, will likely raise future prices of fish meal. Consequently, for the aquaculture industry to expand and remain competitive, less expensive alternative sources of protein must be identified and used as substitutes for or to reduce the dependence of aquaculture diets on fish meal. This book, which consists of 18 chapters, provides exhaustive and up-to-date detail information on nutrient composition, anti-nutritional factors, and nutritional values of alternative plant and animal protein sources as partial or total replacement of fish meal in finfish and crustacean diets. The effects of these ingredients on chemical, biological and physiological parameters of cultured organisms were examined. Optimum inclusion rates of alternative protein sources in diets of various aquaculture species are also presented. Each chapter in this book has been written by world-renowned nutritionists who have an in-depth knowledge in the subjects.