Islamic jurisprudence on the use of animal-derived ingredients in aquaculture feed

The constant increase in worldwide per capita consumption of fish indicates the need for reliable and viable sources of fish, and aquaculture fits these criteria. Aquaculture has continued to make a significant contribution to total fisheries production over the last few decades. The significant progress in aquaculture has been largely attributed to the intensification of production and increasing dependency on formulated food. Among the major challenges in aquaculture is aquaculture feed, or in short, aquafeed, which may represent up to 80% of total operational costs. Due to escalating prices and unsustainable resources of aquafeed ingredients, especially fish meal, fish oils, and soybean meal, many substitutes are utilised, mainly animal by-products and animal waste, which is a concern under Islamic jurisprudence. This concern is quite substantial if aquaculture producers are vying for the halal market. Hence, it is important for them to understand this aspect of Islamic law. This paper reviews the current status of aquafeed ingredients and the classical Islamic jurisprudence pertaining to this issue. References to current decrees and standards by major Muslim countries and Islamic authorities are also presented, followed by options and avenues for remediation.