Processed Animal Proteins to be Re-Authorised in Feed for Fish in EU

A European Commission Regulation to re-authorise the use of processed animal proteins (PAPs) derived from non-ruminant farmed animals (i.e. mainly from pigs and poultry) in fish feed entered into force on Wednesday last. Such use was prohibited twelve years ago when the total feed ban was introduced in 2001 to tackle the Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) epidemic.

15 Feb 2013 --- The current BSE epidemiological situation shows that the EU is now on the final path to eradicating BSE within its cattle population. Endorsed by Member State experts in the Standing Committee of the Food Chain and Animal Health (SCFCAH) in July 2012, this measure will allow farmed fish and other aquaculture animals, to once again be fed with non-ruminant PAPs. It is also in line with latest scientific opinions which indicate that the risk of BSE transmission between non-ruminant animals is negligible provided that intra-species recycling (cannibalism) is prevented.

Traceability requirements will be ensured all along the feed chain via a channelling system in order to prevent cross-contamination with feeding-stuffs intended for species other than fish. In addition, very sensitive analytical tests based on DNA detection will be used to control the correct implementation of the channelling system. This re-authorisation will apply from 1 June 2013 and will improve the overall sustainability of the aquaculture sector, since these PAPs could be a valuable substitute for fishmeal, which is a scarce resource.

The measure is a first step as the Commission, subject to specific analytical tests, intends to propose a further measure to re-introduce the use of pig and poultry PAPs for poultry and pigs. The Commission has however no intention to propose the re-authorisation of PAPs for feeding ruminant animals (i.e. cattle, sheep or goats) or to propose to re-use PAPs from ruminants for feeding non-ruminant farmed animals.