SDG 14
Life below Water
Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.
Challenge
The oceans are home to an extraordinary variety of creatures, ranging from single-celled organisms to blue whales. They are also home to coral reefs, one of the most diverse ecosystems in the world. Humanity is (over)using the oceans in a variety of ways. The demand for protein-rich and healthy fish products is increasing, but natural stocks are declining. The increasing demand for fish can be met by aquaculture. However, many of these crops are not sustainable due to the use of fishmeal and fish oil, which in turn come from fishing. The consequence is an additional reduction in wild populations. Maintaining healthy oceans supports efforts to mitigate climate change.
Examples of our contribution
Today, the aquatic animals we consume are mostly bred through food intake. If they are kept in captivity, their feed must have a similar composition, especially in terms of amino acids (methionine) and omega-3 fatty acids. So far, the ideal composition has only been achieved thanks to the addition of fishmeal and fishmeal oil. The most important raw material in fish farming is fishmeal, because it contains high-quality protein for the growth of aquatic animals. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in fish oil. Due to the depletion of natural resources, the supply is becoming more and more problematic worldwide.
Amino acids and amino acid derivatives, which have been specially developed for fish farming, make it possible to dispense with the use of fishmeal or fish oil to a large extent. A complete renunciation of fish oil is possible with biotechnologically produced omega-3 fatty acids.
With DLMA™ (DL-methionine for aquaculture), Evonik offers methionine products that have been specially developed for fish farming.
Together with our partner DSM, we have founded the joint venture Veramaris to produce biotechnologically produced omega-3 fatty acids. The production is carried out with the help of seaweed. One kilogram of this oil produced in this way replaces up to 60 kilograms of wild-caught oil.