Overview of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Pacific Region's Fish Feed Quality Control Program

The Applied Nutrition Program at Abernathy Fish Technology Center conducts quality control analyses of commercially produced fish feeds fed at the Pacific and Pacific Southwest Regions’ 18 National Fish Hatcheries.  Diet samples are sent quarterly from each of the hatcheries and processed immediately to verify proximate (protein, lipid, ash, and moisture) composition.  In addition, rancidity analyses (free fatty acid and peroxide content) are conducted by an independent laboratory.  Upon completion of the analyses, hatchery managers are notified if their feeds are true to manufacturer specifications.  The feed manufacturers also receive a memo summarizing the results.  If a feed’s composition falls outside manufacturer specifications, we will work with the feed manufacturer and hatchery to ensure high quality feeds are fed in our region’s hatcheries.  In fiscal year 2010, 132 diets were analyzed as part of the Fish Feed Quality Control Program.  Of the 132 diets analyzed for proximate composition, 95% fell within manufacturer specifications.  This talk will provide a brief history of the program, discuss the hatcheries involved, and describe methodologies used to conduct the analyses.