GSI launches novel oil contest

THE Global Salmon Initiative (GSI) has launched a competition for feed companies to produce novel oils high in omega-3 for fish farming. The tender, announced at Aqua Nor last month, invites organisations to share their proposals to supply participating GSI members with a minimum of 25,000 tonnes of novel oil, and up to 200,000 tonnes, annually for a minimum of two years. The deadline is October 31, 2015.

The farmed salmon industry uses approximately 350,000 tonnes of fish oil each year, and this is expected to grow by about five per cent each year, in line with industry growth.

Alf-Helge Aarskog, CEO of Marine Harvest, said: ‘Ensuring a long-term supply of our feed resources has always been a key focus for the GSI, and through this commitment to new novel oils, instead of waiting for the market to act, we hope to accelerate the development of viable novel oils at a commercial scale to improve the long-term stability of our supply chain.’