Evaluation of the application and environmental sustainability of alternative feed materials in sturgeon nutrition. A review

In this review, sturgeon nutrition was systematically evaluated based on 299 original research articles sourced from reputable journals using commonly employed databases (PubMed and Google Scholar), supplemented by two reviews on the dietary requirements of sturgeon species. This article also details the paucity of nutritional research on sturgeon, updated sturgeon nutritional requirements and feed composition, as well as the environmental sustainability of alternative plant- and animal-based proteins utilised in sturgeon nutrition. Furthermore, the review highlights the lack of data on environmental sustainability assessment parameters for protein alternatives, such as fish in: fish out (FIFO), and estimates sustainability based on feed conversion ratio (FCR), and fishmeal (FM) and fish oil (FO) levels used in diets following standard methodology. Finally, the review provides insights into the potential of using insect protein and fat, especially from Hermetia illucens larvae, as a viable and sustainable alternative in the evolving landscape of aquafeed production.