Evaluation of Anchovy Meal and Soybean Meal as Dietary Protein Sources for the Black Sea Turbot, Psetta maxima

Soybean meal and locally-produced anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus) fishmeal were evaluated as protein sources in the intensive culture of Black Sea turbot, Psetta maxima, by comparing them with imported Alaskan fishmeal. Three diets were prepared. One contained imported fish- meal and the second anchovy fishmeal. In the third diet, part of the anchovy fishmeal was replaced by soybean meal. The dietary protein levels were adjusted to approximately 50%. Juveniles (avg wt 8.2 g) were reared for 61 days in triplicate tanks. Growth and feed efficiency in fish fed the anchovy fishmeal diet were inferior to those of fish fed the imported fishmeal diet, indicating the need to improve the quality of the anchovy fishmeal. Partial replacement of the anchovy fishmeal by soybean meal resulted in worse growth performance. The low growth rates obtained with the anchovy fishmeal diet and the anchovy plus soybean diet were accompanied by low lipid and glycogen accumulation. Fatty acid compositions of the muscle and liver were not influenced by the dietary protein source. The inferior results with the soybean meal diet might have been due to effects of anti-nutrients on the digestive system.