Chinese aquaculture accounts for around 70% of total world aquaculture production. The rapid development of the sector has stimulated the development of a significant feed industry, with around 19.03 million tonnes currently produced per year.

Total aquaculture production in China increased from 24.6 million tonnes to 47.5 million tonnes between 2000 and 2014. Over the same period feed production increased from 5.10 million tonnes to 19.03 million tonnes. However, fishmeal imports (1-1.5 million tonnes) and domestic fishmeal production (800,000 tonnes) remained relatively static. The additive level of fishmeal in diet has decreased, because of improvements in formulations and effective use of natural productivity with filter-feeders representing around 50% of China’s aquaculture production.

The Chinese Government has invested in research programmes to support nutrition and feed studies and issued a series of standards to control quality with respect to nutrition and safety. Feed quality control centres have been established at the national, provincial and district level. The government has encouraged the industry to shift its focus from one of resource-intensive production expansion to a goal of efficiency, quality, safety and sustainability. The government has also worked to popularize the use of high-efficiency compound feed and to reduce the use of trash fish and raw materials.

In recent years representative species have been selected for systematic nutritional studies on the basis of their taxonomy, feeding habit, geographical distribution, farming model and culture scales to determine their nutrient requirements and utilisation of feed ingredients. A database on nutritional requirements and the bioavailability of feed ingredients for the main cultured species is being gradually assembled. The result of this research has been subsequently applied in feed formulation design for related species, a strategy that has proven successful.

China has succeeded in diversifying its feed ingredients and improving their bioavailability by the development of technology and commercial products, such as neutral phytase, compound fermentation, feeding attractants, micro-comminution, essential amino acid (EAA) encapsulation and formulation EAA balance. Some of the best feeds, such as shrimp feeds, achieve an FCR as low as 1.0-1.2.

Major issues to be addressed in aquaculture feed production and its use in China include:

• An ongoing shortage of protein sources, particularly fishmeal and high quality plant protein. In fact, China is deficient in raw feedstuff, particularly the high quality protein sources such as fish meal and soybean, 70% of which are imported at present.
• An incomplete data base of nutrient requirements for different aquaculture species.
• Nutritional studies on broodstock and larvae are just starting. High quality weaning feeds for hatcheries are still dependent on imports.
• Policies seeking “fastest growth and highest production” have threatened aquaculture sustainability.

Research and development in aquaculture nutrition and feeds development should pay more attention to exploring new non-fishmeal protein sources and improve their utilisation efficiency. In addition, a comprehensive database of nutrient requirements and bioavailability of feed ingredients for more culture species is required, taking into account the needs of different life stages. This will provide a reliable basis for accurate feed formulations to save limited feed protein sources. It is suggested that direct use of trash fish and raw feed ingredients should be banned by legislation because it is an important way to save feed ingredient sources, and ensure sustainable growth of the industry.