LipidMarine™ is produced from mainly sardine and anchovy – small oily fish with natural high content of omega-3 stored in the tissue.
It is in Pharma Marine’s nature to use sustainable resources as raw materials. Leif Kjetil (the founder of Pharma Marine™) was taught the importance of utilizing every part of the fish by his parents who had again learned it from their parents. Nothing should be thrown away because everything can be used. So when Pharma Marine™ was launching a premium quality fish oil, it was important that the crude oil was sourced from a Friend of the Sea certified fishery.
Anchovy and sardine are traditionally used in production of fish oil and fish meal and the production can be done from direct caught, by-catch or by-products. They represent 76% of the global use of fish not used directly for human consumption. It is estimated that 36% of fish meal in the world is produced from fish by-products. This is a trend that has been increasing in the last years and continues growing, giving a better use of the fish resources and decreasing the waste generation.
Sardines and anchovies are small fishes which are generally feed for larger species, but are compensated by their high reproductive rate. They are a very important part of the diet both for the ecosystems and for the human population. These types of fish have a naturally high level of omega-3. The content of EPA & DHA varies according to what they eat, as for all species, because the fish do not produce omega-3, but accumulate it from plankton.
To secure sustainability, it is important to have control of by-catch and that the stocks are not overexploited to secure that there always will be resources available for the coming generations. The fisheries of sardines and anchovy are regulated by quotas decided by the authorities in the various countries.
To produce LipidMarine™ we use carefully selected crude fish oil from various sources that are all certified by Friend of the Sea.
Sustainability is all about respecting the nature and safeguarding that there will be resources available for future generations. There are organizations that certify independent fisheries and the industries related to the use of particular species as raw materials.
Pharma Marine’s LipidMarine™ products are certified by Friend of the Sea. This is a non-profit organization whose mission is the conservation of the marine habitat. The products and their origins are audited onsite by independent international certification bodies. Friend of the Sea is present worldwide and more than 300 companies have their products certified to prove that the origin of their products is produced from sustainable fisheries.
To be certified by Friends of the Sea means - amongst other things - that the fisheries will not overexploit the fish stock, have a low limit for discarding fish remains as well as clear rules for waste management. When using the Friends of the Sea certification you are contributing to the health of oceans by assessing and promoting sustainable fishing practices. This is a clear preference and basic philosophy of Pharma Marine™.
Reference:
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
