Fish Pellets from Canola?

Fish Pellets

One of the main arguments against Aquaponics has always been that its unsustainable because the fish pellets people use are based on depleting reserves of ocean fish catch. Its a limited supply that is gradually disappearing from our oceans. If Aquaponics can help feed the planet, then where is all this extra fish feed going to come from?

Well Australian CSIRO scientists have been looking at this issue and they are now ready to do some trials with genetically modified Canola that has an animal gene spliced into the plant that modifies the long chain Omega 3 acid chain to resemble the signature found in ocean fish.

If the trials go ahead the fish pellets could be available commercially available within 5 years. But what if the new fish feed has a negative affect on the fish? Some people are worried that this untested Frankenstein fish feed may unleash a bunch of allergies and other illnesses on people that will eventually consume the fish? Its a worrying issue that could potentially create more problems than it solves.

ABC Radio has an interesting report that goes into this issue in a lot more depth.


Click on the icon to listen to the ABC Radio report.