New feed for salmon hatcheries in development

Alaska spends more than $20 million on fish feed each year for its 35 salmon hatcheries — feed that comes primarily from anchovies caught in South America. Meanwhile Alaska seafood processing companies produce over 200,000 tons of fishmeal each year — for customers in Asia.

Last year 33 million fish - 20% of the total Alaska salmon harvest - originated in hatcheries; in some years the figure has topped 30 percent. At Prince William Sound, for example, 73% of the salmon catch originated in local hatcheries.

The most costly part of any hatchery or farmed fish business is the feed – it represents...