El Niño Disrupts Peruvian Anchovy Fishery, Threatening Omega-3 Supply Continuity
Coastal El Niño warming has severely impacted Peru's 2026 anchovy production, a critical source of marine omega-3s, leading to quota cuts and repeated fishing bans. This disruption highlights significant supply chain risks and cost pressures for EPA and DHA ingredients.
AI-assisted coverage: produced by SF News' automated newsroom from the cited sources and checked by automated attribution gates. Editorial responsibility: Lee Smith, Group CEO. How we work →
Lima, Peru — 12 August 2026
The Peruvian anchovy fishery, a cornerstone of global marine omega-3 supply, faces severe disruptions due to persistent El Niño warming conditions. Philip Scrase, Chief Analyst at Kontali, reported that first-season quotas were slashed by 36%. Furthermore, a high proportion of juvenile fish triggered repeated fishing bans, resulting in only 25% of the reduced quota being met. Prospects for the second season remain dim, with critical biomass assessments pending.
This situation is compounded by structural issues in the North Atlantic, where blue whiting production, a key source for fish meal and oil, has decreased by over 50%. Unusually, other sources are not compensating for this deficit, and low inventories across the board are intensifying supply challenges, according to Scrase. The market, therefore, cannot rely on historical supply diversification patterns to mitigate current shortfalls. This confluence of factors points to sustained upward pressure on EPA and DHA ingredient costs.
Ellen Schutt, Managing Director of GOED, noted significant concern among brand members, particularly regarding long-term supply stability. A 2023 supply chain shortage in Peru served as a precursor, prompting some brands to initiate mitigation strategies, though complete resolution is far from assured. The industry is urged to view this as an ongoing operational risk requiring fundamental shifts in sourcing strategy rather than a temporary anomaly. Demand for EPA and DHA continues to grow, driven by an ageing global population seeking cardiovascular and cognitive health support, expanding middle classes in Asia Pacific, and structural under-penetration of omega-3 consumption. Aker BioMarine highlighted that the human nutrition sector competes for approximately 16% of the global fish oil supply, with aquaculture dominating the remaining 80%.
What this means for United Kingdom
UK supplement manufacturers face immediate sourcing instability and escalating costs for marine omega-3s, directly compressing profit margins. Reformulation windows will tighten as reliable supply contracts become harder to secure, necessitating proactive engagement with alternative ingredient suppliers for krill or algal oils. Regulatory teams must prepare for increased scrutiny on ingredient traceability and sustainability claims as consumers and retailers prioritise ethical sourcing. Brand owners have an opportunity to differentiate by rapidly diversifying portfolios with alternative, certified sustainable omega-3 sources to maintain supply continuity and competitive pricing.
Simon Seward of Aker BioMarine emphasised that demand for omega-3s is projected to structurally exceed supply from 2027, even assuming stable global fish oil production at 1.2 million metric tonnes. The previous era of single-source omega-3 reliance is over. A resilient strategy now demands qualified alternative sources, with krill oil and algae oil offering viable pathways. Krill oil, such as Superba Krill Oil, provides EPA, DHA, phospholipids, choline, and astaxanthin with documented benefits across multiple health areas, backed by over 60 human clinical trials. Algae oil, like Revervia, offers a 100% vegan DHA option. The future of omega-3 supply depends on a diversified, flexible, and resilient ingredient base.
Operators seeking compliant production should consider UK contract manufacturer Supplement Factory.