The global fish oil supply has entered a period of heightened pressure, driven by a combination of environmental factors, regional supply constraints, and continued growth in omega-3 demand.
One of the most significant developments has been the pressure on the Peruvian anchovy fishery, one of the world’s most important sources of marine ingredients. Warm coastal waters, a high presence of juvenile anchovies,1 and repeated fishing restrictions have affected the season, while regulators set the first-season North-Central anchovy quota at roughly 1.91 million metric tonnes—around 36% below the 3 million-tonne quota from the same season in 2025.2
Peru is not facing these pressures alone. Lower anchovy quotas in Chile and reduced supply from parts of the North Atlantic have further limited the market’s ability to offset reduced Peruvian production, leaving little room for the rest of the market to make up the shortfall.3
At the same time, the continued threat of El Niño adds another layer of uncertainty. Changes in ocean temperatures associated with El Niño can affect the distribution and productivity of anchovy populations off the coast of Peru, potentially influencing future catches and fish oil yields. For an industry dependent on natural marine resources, these conditions reinforce how quickly the supply outlook can change.
Demand Continues to Climb
While supply tightens, appetite for omega-3s continues to grow. According to the Global Organization for EPA and DHA Omega-3s (GOED), global EPA and DHA ingredient volume rose 2.6% in 2025, reaching approximately 136,000 metric tonnes. GOED expects that number to continue growing by 3 or 4% annually through 2028, driven in part by demand in China and by the fast-expanding pet nutrition category.4
The result is a market where demand for omega-3s continues to grow at a time when supply is under increasing pressure.
What Does this Mean for the Industry?
Today’s fish oil market highlights the importance of proactive planning, supply visibility, and ingredient flexibility.
A resilient omega-3 strategy does not necessarily mean moving away from fish oil. Instead, it means understanding the full range of omega-3 solutions available from suppliers and selecting the right ingredients to meet formulation, sustainability, regulatory requirements, and consumer expectations.
Diversifying omega-3 sources can help reduce dependance on any single raw material or supply region while giving formulators additional options as market conditions evolve.
Building greater flexibility into an omega-3 portfolio can help organizations adapt as environmental conditions, supply availability, and market dynamics evolve.
Exploring Alternative Omega-3 Sources
At Bioriginal, marine fish oil has never been our only route to omega-3 nutrition. Our portfolio spans marine and plant-based sources alike, giving formulators greater flexibility when one part of the supply chain comes under pressure.
Understanding the different nutritional profiles, applications, and sourcing considerations associated with these ingredients can help organizations take a broader approach to omega-3 formulation and supply.
Marine-Based Alternatives
Marine omega-3 supply is not limited to a single species or fishery. Different marine sources can provide additional options when individual fisheries or regions face supply pressure, although availability, pricing, nutritional profiles and formulation considerations can vary by source.
For pet nutrition applications, farmed Atlantic salmon oil provides an additional source of EPA and DHA outside of traditional wild-caught fisheries. As with other marine oils, market conditions can influence both availability and pricing.
Beyond fish oil, other omega-3 sources can provide additional formulation and sourcing flexibility across a broader range of nutritional applications.
Krill oil provides EPA and DHA primarily in phospholipid form, along with naturally occurring astaxanthin and choline-containing phospholipids. This unique composition makes it a differentiated marine-based option for premium omega-3 formulations.
Algal oil delivers DHA and, in some formulations, EPA directly from microalgae. As a direct, non-fish source of long-chain omega-3s, algal oil can provide additional formulation and sourcing options while also supporting vegan and plant-based product positioning.
ALA-Rich Plant Oils
Plant-based sources such as flaxseed oil, chia seed oil and hemp seed oil provide alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), an essential omega-3 fatty acid that can support a wide range of nutritional applications.
ALA can be converted by the body into EPA and DHA, although this conversion is limited and can vary between individuals. For that reason, plant-based ALA sources should not be considered a direct replacement for EPA- and DHA-rich oils.
Instead, they can play an important role within a broader omega-3 strategy by giving formulators additional options to diversify their portfolios, support plant-based positioning and reduce reliance on marine sources where appropriate.
The key is understanding the nutritional objective of the product and selecting the omega-3 source that best fits the intended application.
Building Supply Resilience Through Partnership
Market fluctuations are an inherent part of global ingredient supply chains. The current fish oil environment reinforces the importance of planning ahead and working collaboratively across the supply chain.
Greater visibility into anticipated volumes, timing, specialized product requirements and upcoming product launches or promotions allows suppliers to align raw-material sourcing and production capacity more effectively.
Early planning can also create more options. It provides additional time to evaluate specifications, alternative sources or formulation approaches where appropriate, rather than waiting until supply constraints become more pronounced.
Strong relationships across the supply chain are equally important. When ingredient suppliers, manufacturers and brands share information earlier, emerging risks can be identified sooner, and potential solutions can be evaluated before those challenges become urgent.
Supply resilience is ultimately built through a combination of visibility, flexibility, and collaboration.
Looking Ahead to 2027 and Beyond
Consumer demand for omega-3s shows no signs of slowing, while environmental conditions, fisheries management and global supply dynamics will continue to influence the availability of marine ingredients.
The threat of El Niño further reinforces how quickly conditions affecting marine ingredient supply can change.
Against this backdrop, supply diversification, strategic sourcing, formulation flexibility and strong ingredient partnerships will become increasingly important as the omega-3 market continues to evolve.
At Bioriginal, our approach has long been built around bringing together multiple omega-3 sources, technical expertise and manufacturing capabilities from Seed & Sea to Shelf.
Helping people live healthier lives starts with keeping trusted, high-quality nutrition accessible. Building a more resilient and adaptable omega-3 supply chain is an important part of delivering on that commitment—today and into the future.
Contact us to discuss your omega-3 supply strategy and explore the right sourcing and formulation options for your needs.
Sources:
1 Instituto del Mar del Perú. (2026). Informe sobre el avance de la primera temporada de pesca de la anchoveta peruana (Engraulis ringens) en la región norte-centro al 22 de abril de 2026. Ministerio de la Producción del Perú.
2 Ministerio de la Producción del Perú. (2026, April 1). PRODUCE autoriza inicio de la primera temporada de pesca de anchoveta con una cuota de 1.91 millones de toneladas. Plataforma Digital Única del Estado Peruano.
3 Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. (2026, July 23). China demand and lower quotas lift fishmeal and fish oil prices. FAO GLOBEFISH.
4 Global Organization for EPA and DHA Omega-3s. (2026, July 23). GOED publishes 2026 ingredient market report. GOED.
