EUROPEAN FISHMEAL INDUSTRY TALKS MARINE BY-PRODUCTS IN A SUSTAINABLE BLUE ECONOMY

European Fishmeal Industry talks marine by-products in a sustainable blue economy at conference ‘From Waste to Value: Supporting a Circular Economy’. EFFOP held its biennial conference in Bremerhaven, Germany, from 9 to 12 June 2026, bringing together more than 130 representatives from the European fishmeal and fish oil industry, alongside researchers, policymakers and industry leaders.

This year’s conference, themed ‘From Waste to Value: Supporting a Circular Economy’, focused on the growing role of marine by-products in a sustainable blue economy. Since 2000, the share of by-products in global fishmeal production has risen from 19% to 35%, and significant untapped potential remains. Combined with one of the lowest carbon footprints among feed ingredients, marine by-products represent a valuable circular resource for the future.

Participants visited the facility of German member Bioceval in Cuxhaven, one of the few producers sourcing exclusively from trimmings and by-products – a practical demonstration of how materials that would otherwise go unused are transformed into high-value marine ingredients.

The conference also hosted EFFOP’s Annual General Assembly. After two years in the role, Odd Eliasen (Faroe Island) stepped down as President. Johannes von Holten (Germany) was elected new President, and Heiðmar Guðmundsson (Iceland) was elected Vice President.

Johannes von Holten thanked his successor for a job well done, and shed light on his ambitions as president of EFFOP:

“I want to thank Odd for being an excellent President for the last two years. I have had the pleasure of serving as Vice President under his leadership, and I now look forward to taking over as President and continuing the good work. Because, in times like these, with a shifting geopolitical landscape and growing pressure on supply chains, it is more important than ever that our industry stands together and safeguards its ability to turn marine resources into valuable products”

The next EFFOP conference will take place in 2028 in Vigo, Spain, hosted by Spanish member Anfaco-Cecopesca.

About EFFOP – Marine Nutrients Europe

EFFOP represents fishmeal and fish oil producers from 13 European countries. Members produce roughly 600,000 tonnes of fishmeal and 190,000 tonnes of fish oil annually, with a total export value of approximately €2 billion. All members support the FAO Code of Conduct for responsible fisheries and third-party certification such as MarinTrust and MSC.

Image: EFFOP