by Dr. Ahmad Khreisat – Jordan

This article explores the shift in aquaculture from prioritizing rapid fish growth to focusing on Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR) as a more meaningful measure of productivity and profitability.

It explains that because feed can account for 50–70% of production costs, improving FCR can significantly reduce expenses while also limiting waste and environmental pollution. The article highlights how feed quality, fish health, water quality, stress management, modern systems such as RAS, and artificial intelligence can all contribute to better feed efficiency. Ultimately, it argues that the future of aquaculture lies not in producing more as quickly as possible, but in producing more efficiently, sustainably, and intelligently, making FCR a strategic indicator linking economic performance, environmental sustainability, resource efficiency, and technological innovation.