Neptune Industries has branded new US guidelines excluding wild fish from the production of organic seafood as an "important step forward" in its efforts to obtain an "organic" label for its Ento-Protein brand.
In its recommendations, the US Department of Agriculture said fishmeal and fish oil produced from wild fish and other wild aquatic animals "cannot be used in organic production of aquatic animals, or certified or labeled as organic".
The recommendations support the need for sustainable protein alternatives for fish and shrimp diets, for which Neptune says it is developing an alternative.
CEO Ernest Papadoyianis said the panel's recommendations increased the probability that an organic standard will be set by the USDA.
He said: "The prices for organic-labelled food tend to carry a substantial premium to non-organic_food, and we would expect that such a premium would also apply in the organic feed marketplace."
Neptune Industries is a Canadian biotech company, which commits itself to achieving sustainable, eco-friendly aquaculture.