As food insecurity becomes a growing issue, global food sectors are forced to maximise production whilst conserving the world’s remaining resources. The aquaculture sector is one of the fastest growing protein sectors. However, many sought after species are carnivorous, with high dietary protein requirements, often delivered in the form of wild caught fish (fishmeal). The current demand for fishmeal is beginning to outweigh supply, prompting the increased importance of the management of fishery resources and the progression towards a more sustainable industry from a food security perspective.
Insects are a natural part of many freshwater and marine carnivorous finfish diets. Black soldier fly larvae (Hermetia illucens; BSF) are of particular interest as a substitute to fishmeal as they efficiently convert organic waste (e.g., unmarketable vegetables) into their own biomass, resulting in high protein and fat concentrations.
The aim of this research was to evaluate the use of BSF as an alternative to fishmeal in barramundi (Lates calcarifer) diets across a 91-day growth trial. The results showed that barramundi growth performance, well-being and feed utilisation did not differ between eight experimental diets containing graded levels of BSF. This study provides an important step towards reducing the aquaculture industry’s reliance on diminishing wild fish stocks and, in the process, recycling the by-products of other industries by utilising their organic waste.