What Europe Wants to Know About Krill: The Top 5 Questions in 2024

Written by QRILL Aqua

We’re answering the top 5 questions that we received from our Europe-based customers and partners in 2024. From the cost of krill to krill’s role in reducing stress in marine fish, we’ve got the information you’ve been seeking. Read on to learn why fish love krill and what QRILL Aqua can do to enhance the efficiency of your farm.

Europe map and krill underwater

1. Is adding krill meal to the feed cost-efficient for aquaculture farmers?

There are several reasons why QRILL Aqua Total can be a cost-efficient ingredient for fish farming. Numerous scientific trials have proven that krill meal can improve growth and health, improve feed utilization, and promote better product yield and quality in farmed fish. With QRILL Aqua Total in the feed, we see higher survival rates, larger and better-quality marine fish, and less disease. This leads to a better return on investment for the farmer, making krill a cost-efficient ingredient in the long run.

2. Why do fish love feed with krill in it?

QRILL Aqua Total is proven to increase the palatability of the feed. It contains trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) and water-soluble compounds such as amino acids, peptides, and nucleotides. These compounds help make the fish more attracted to the feed, and as a result, they consume more of it and benefit from all the advantages of QRILL Aqua Total.

3. How is QRILL Aqua Total best used in feed for marine fish?

QRILL Aqua Total has proven to be effective in the broodstock, juvenile, and transfer phases, as well as the grow out phase for farmed species. The inclusion levels and duration of feeding depends on the fish species, the life stage, and the intended use. QRILL Aqua Total is a potent ingredient and effective at relatively low concentration levels. Below are some general recommendations on the percentages of krill meal to include in the feed during various developmental stages:

Early stages 1.5-6%
Growing diet with 3-6% for marine fish, 6-10% for salmonids
Functional feed about 6-12% (for 6-10 weeks or finishing diet), including broodstock feed
Transfer feed 5%-10%

4. Is QRILL Aqua Total produced in a way that supports the Antarctic ecosystem?

Sustainable harvesting and production are simply how we operate at Aker BioMarine. To ensure that our operations do not harm the Antarctic ecosystem, we adhere to stringent regulations for the harvesting and we collaborate across the industry to enforce voluntary measures, such as restricted fishing areas. In addition, we work in a targeted way to reduce the environmental footprint of QRILL Aqua products.

We are extremely proud of that krill is recognized as one of the most sustainable fisheries in the world. Aker BioMarine has received top scores from the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) over the last 15 years, and it is one of the few fisheries that has obtained an “A” rating from the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership. The krill population is holding steady as one of the largest biomasses on Earth. The annual catch quota is set to less than 1% of the estimated biomass, and we employ our unique eco-harvesting technology to avoid bycatch. All activities, including krill harvesting, in the Antarctic are closely monitored by the Conservation Commission CCAMLR.

5. Can QRILL Aqua Total reduce stress for marine fish?

Farmed marine fish encounter many challenging conditions during their development, from the early stage, during the transfer phase, and in the grow-out and final stages. Typical threats include disease and environmental challenges, such as temperature variation, crowding, and low oxygen levels. These challenges result in a high degree of stress in the fish. In several scientific studies, QRILL Aqua Total has been shown to enhance the robustness and immune health of fish, which in turn enables the animal to cope better with stressful conditions, leading to better results for the farmer.

Krill contributes to improved reproductive performance in Nile tilapia

Oslo, March 2024: A recently published study conducted by Spring Genetics Tilapia in Miami, Aker BioMarine Antarctic AS, and LABOMAR (the Marine Sciences Institute in NE Brazil) evaluated whether krill meal in the diet impacted reproductive performance of Nile tilapia and the quality and quantity of offspring.

Krill meal: a powerful and reliable ally for aquafeed formulations

One of aquaculture’s major concerns is to deliver high-quality products for human consumption. The diet given to farmed fish and shrimp must contain all the essential nutrients to deliver healthy animal products to consumers. However, the current aquaculture industry is facing a challenging quest: reducing and even removing fish-based products from aquafeeds while keeping nutritional quality and feed performance. Shifting from fish meal-based diets to plant-based or alternative protein and lipid sources has proven to be an arduous task. The solution can rely on krill meal, a powerful supplement produced from Antarctic krill. But why is krill so appealing for aquafeeds? The secret of krill meal is its unique blend of proteins, lipids, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. This makes it an ideal feed additive to fill the nutritional gaps of more sustainable plant-based or alternative animal diets.

QRILL Aqua in 2022: a year of discovery, engagement, and growth

The QRILL™ Aqua team was in full swing in 2022, sharing new knowledge about krill, engaging with aquaculture customers and partners around the world, and even expanding its presence as QRILL Aqua demand grows around the world.