Aquaculture Diets: Live Feed and Sustainable Aquafeed

Aquaculture is fundamental to global food security, challenged by population growth and dwindling natural resources. Despite the environmental problems still linked to aquaculture, this activity can minimize the impacts of traditional fishing, such as overfishing, habitat degradation and pollution. The production of live feed and aquafeed are fundamental to the aquaculture industry, as they enable the production of fish and shellfish in captivity on a large scale. Live feed production is an important technique in aquaculture, as it provides a natural and nutritious feed source, which includes phytoplankton and zooplankton organisms, for farmed fish and shellfish. Aquafeed formulation is another important technique in aquaculture, providing nutrients and a balanced diet based on the nutritional needs of the cultivated organisms. The choice of aquafeed ingredients depends, in addition to nutritional requirements, on the availability and cost of the ingredient, being optimized with the use of alternative ingredients, such as algae, insects and agroindustrial by-products. These ingredients are sources of protein, energy, fatty acids and other bioactive compounds, which contribute to reducing dependence on ingredients of animal origin, such as fishmeal and oil, making aquaculture more sustainable and resilient. Aquaculture is a constantly evolving activity, and the adoption of sustainable and innovative practices is essential to ensure global food security and the conservation of natural resources. This chapter explores the aspects of live feed and aquafeed production, highlighting their nutritional, environmental and economic importance in the aquaculture industry and their impact on global food security and sustainable development.