Dr. Rebecca Lochmann, a University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff aquaculture and fisheries professor, is spearheading innovative research to improve the sustainability of bass production.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture supports this research project through its Agricultural Research Service’s 1890 Research Sabbatical Program. The program promotes collaboration between faculty at 1890 land-grant universities and ARS scientists.
Dr. Lochmann is working closely with Dr. Carl Webster, an ARS fish nutritionist, and co-proposer of the research initiative. The pair are investigating the potential of novel plant and insect feed ingredients to enhance the sustainable production of hybrid striped bass—a popular food fish across the United States.
Their primary focus is evaluating the growth performance, body composition, gut histology, and gene expression of sunshine bass-fed diets enriched with insect meals and oils. The research at the H.K. Dupree Stuttgart National Aquaculture Research Center involves carefully designed feeding trials that could significantly impact aquaculture practices.
The study formulates six specialized diets, each containing 40% protein and 11% lipid, to assess the efficacy of insect meal as a replacement for traditional fish meal. With over 98% of hybrid striped bass production in mid-Atlantic, southern, and western states, there is a pressing demand for efficient production methods. Notably, the food fish production of hybrid striped bass saw a remarkable increase of 62% from 2013 to 2017, with a further 16% rise in 2018, reaching an estimated market value of $56 million.
Dr. Lochmann emphasized the necessity for advancements in efficiency within the industry to meet the growing demands while addressing environmental concerns.
“Marine fish meal is the most desired ingredient in aquaculture diets due to its palatability, high protein and amino acid content and quality, and essential fatty acids,” Lochmann said. “However, it is also the most expensive macro-ingredient in an aquaculture diet. Thus, reliance on marine fish meal in diets for fish and crustaceans is problematic since wild marine fish stocks are static – or could decline – due to overfishing, pollution, and climate change. This has forced the search for alternative protein sources.”
Despite the promise of insect meals, their current high market price remains challenging due to limited production scales. Dr. Webster noted that expanding industrial production could reduce costs and ensure consistent quality, paving the way for broader adoption in aquaculture feeds.