Abstract

The new Strategic Guidelines for the sustainable development of EU aquaculture adopted by the Commission in spring 2021 intend to further promote organic aquaculture as strategy to meet consumer demand for diversified high quality food produced in a way that respects the environment and ensures animal welfare. EU organic regulation (889/2008 and 848/2018) established that only fish meal derived from fish trimmings and from whole fish caught in fisheries certified as sustainable together with vegetable raw materials derived from organic plants can be used as the main protein sources for organic aquafeed. The difficult to reach certified ingredients, together with the high production costs, are the main problems of low production of organic EU fish. The needs for additional types of raw materials and reconsidered the sourcing of plant feed ingredients has been recognised as necessary to promote EU organic aquaculture. The aim of this study was to test the effects of certified organic novel raw materials (organic pea protein, organic yeast, organic seaweed) on growth, fish welfare and products quality of rainbow trout, gilthead sea bream and meagre.