STTR Phase I: Developing Alternate Aquafeeds Utilizing Marine Invertebrates and Plants Cultured from Fish Fecal and Feed Waste

该小型技术转让研究（STTR）第一阶段项目旨在开发一种替代水产饲料，该饲料不依赖于捕捞的海洋饲料鱼（如鲱鱼和沙丁鱼）的欧米伽-3含量，适用于在陆基循环水产养殖系统（RAS）中养殖海鱼。具体而言，将配制六种替代鱼饲料，制成颗粒并在18个盐水室内水箱中饲喂加州黄尾鱼（Seriola lalandi），每个水箱含有80条鱼，大小范围从20克到450克。常规的市售鱼饲料将用作对照。将通过试验组与对照组相比的生长和存活率来衡量适用性。替代饲料将利用各种替代品来替代缺失的鱼粉，包括微藻、沙虫等无脊椎动物和昆虫衍生的鱼粉。理想的替代饲料应具有价格竞争力，通常可用，并来自当地加工废物或养殖在水产养殖场鱼类生产中自然产生的粪便和饲料废物中。后者在区域农业系统内是可行的，因为在一个相互作用的物种网络中，营养物质可以从一种作物流向另一种作物，这一项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力是证明替代水产饲料在技术上是可行的。与传统饲料相比，它们具有价格竞争力。销售含有大量捕获鱼类成分的传统鱼饲料的公司现在建议客户预计每年的价格上涨，因为水产养殖的增长加上过度的捕捞压力分别影响需求和供应。当然，这种上涨可以在短期内适应，但水产养殖者有必要开发替代品，因为他们只能将价格提高到一个点，在这个点之后，他们变得与渔业捕捞物没有竞争力，而海鲜消费者转向其他蛋白质。从积极的一面来看，海鲜经销商、厨师和消费者越来越关注海鲜是不是？可持续？那就是它是滥用还是有助于健康的全球生态系统。因此，一个明显的商业机会正在出现，也许一开始是一个利基市场，但随着水产养殖的继续增长，几乎可以肯定的是，这将是一个非常大的市场。

This Small Technology Transfer Research (STTR) Phase I project seeks to develop an alternate aquafeed that does not rely on the inclusion of captured, oceanic forage fish such as menhaden and sardines for its omega-3 content and is suitable for culturing marine fish in land-based recirculating aquaculture systems (RASs). Specifically, six alternate fish feeds will be formulated, pelletized and fed to California yellowtail (Seriola lalandi) in 18 saltwater, indoor tanks, containing 80 fish per tank in a size range starting at 20 grams up to 450 grams. A conventional, commercially available fish feed will be used as a control. Suitability will be measured by how well the growth and survival rates of the test group compare to the control group. The alternate feeds will utilize various substitutes for the absent fish meal, including microalgae, invertebrates such as sandworms and insect-derived meal. The ideal alternate feed will be price competitive, generally available and sourced from local processing wastes or cultured in the fecal and fed waste naturally generated from fish production in an aquafarm. The latter is feasible within RASs since the flow of nutrients can be directed beneficially from one crop to another in a web of interactive species.The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is to demonstrate that alternate aquafeeds are technically feasible. They can be price-competitive with conventional feeds. Companies selling conventional fish feed containing a substantial component of captured fish now advise customers to anticipate annual price raises as the growth of aquaculture combined with excessive fishing pressure impacts demand and supply respectively. Certainly the rise can be accommodated in the short term, but it behooves aquafarmers to develop alternatives since they can only raise prices to a point after which they become uncompetitive with fisheries catch while seafood customers turn to other protein. On the positive side, there is a growing concern by seafood distributors, chefs and consumers whether seafood is or is not ?sustainable?, that is whether it abuses or contributes to a healthy global ecosystem. Thus, a clear commercial opportunity is emerging, perhaps as a niche market at the outset, but almost certainly a very large market in time as aquaculture continues to grow.