World market for fish muscle protein was USD 366.7 million in 2023. Fish muscle protein demand grew at a rate of 9.7% y-o-y in 2024, so the world market would be USD 437.8 million in 2025. Sales in the forecast period (2025 to 2035) would attain a CAGR of 9.7% globally to reach the sales value of USD 1,105.1 million by the end of 2035.
Fish muscle protein is taking centre stage with its health advantage, richness of essential amino acids, and usage in muscle well-being, growth, and recovery. It is making inroads in the animal nutrition industry, especially in aqua culture and pet animal feed. Its use in nutraceuticals and supplements is also increasing as increasing numbers of individuals take an interest in healthy protein to ensure proper health and wellbeing.
Growing consumer consciousness about the need to utilize protein for muscle recuperation and health is highly likely to keep propelling demand for fish muscle protein in the coming years.
| Attributes | Description |
|---|---|
| Estimated Global Fish Muscle Protein Industry Size (2025E) | USD 437.8 million |
| Projected Global Fish Muscle Protein Industry Value (2035F) | USD 1,105.1 million |
| Value-based CAGR (2025 to 2035) | 9.7% |
The rising need for fish muscle protein is driven by its growing usage as a highly digestible and complete protein. It has an ideal amino acid pattern of the essential amino acids and thus is a revolutionary healthy source of protein to be used by humans and animals. As a result of the surge in the utilization of natural and protein-rich food ingredients, fish muscle protein is being converted into nutraceutical foods, protein supplements, and functional foods to a greater extent than ever.
Additionally, as a result of the emphasis being given to environment-friendly and sustainable sources of food, fish muscle protein is becoming more and more sought after as a sustainable source of protein over land. Hence, demand for fish muscle protein will grow at a very high pace in the next decade.
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The following is a comparative snapshot of the difference in CAGR between the initial year (2024) and final year (2025) of half a year globally for the fish muscle protein market. The snapshot provides extreme variations when it comes to performance and trend in the success of revenue, thereby giving stakeholders better insight into the growth pattern for the time of the year. First half year (H1) lies between January to June and the second half year (H2) lies between July to December.
| Particular | Value CAGR |
|---|---|
| H1 (2024 to 2034) | 9.4% |
| H2 (2024 to 2034) | 9.5% |
| H1 (2025 to 2035) | 9.5% |
| H2 (2025 to 2035) | 9.7% |
During the first half (H1) of the period 2025 to 2035, the market will progress at a CAGR of 9.5%, while during the second half (H2) of the period it will progress a little higher at 9.7%. The latter half of the decade registers growth acceleration based on growth in demand for sustainable protein-rich food. In H1 of the decade, the company accelerated 10 BPS, and in H2 of the decade, the company will register a growth acceleration of 20 BPS.
This increasing growth trend on the health benefits, sustainability, and increasing demand for protein sources boosts the fish muscle protein market to grow well in the forecast period. The Fish Muscle Protein Market will increase steadily due to increasing demand from consumers for healthy and sustainable protein sources and for protein extraction methods.
As it spreads ever broader in the emerging economies and follows international food and nutrition trends, it will have to combat raw material cost and sustainability challenges. But continuous innovation, intelligent sourcing, and rising consumer awareness for the green cost of protein production will keep fish muscle protein a leader in the global protein chain for decades to come.
Domestic players are value-chain leaders to process and export fish proteins to domestic markets and export markets. Home industry companies have access to share with giant North American, European, and Asian-Pacific markets. USA and North American industries produce pharmaceutical-grade fish muscle protein as a food ingredient for a dietary supplement, a therapy nutrition ingredient, and food fortification product for the North American market.
Home industry companies apply state-of-the-art processing and extraction with proteins supplemented with bioavailability and desired fish attributes. Home processing has also been driven by the need for alternative and sustainable proteins. There are Icelandic, Danish, and Norwegian enterprises in Europe, though, which are storming European markets.
Denmark, Iceland, and Norway all have seafood processing companies that include good-quality firms processing good-quality salmon muscle proteins, herring, and cod. Clean-label protein foods and sustainable proteins are Europe's backburner because consumers desire more natural and greener proteins. Europe's rigorous food quality and food safety regulations are stringent as much as food for retailing is concerned.
Behind-stage high-tech is with domestically-owned capital firms in processing. Asia-Pacific nation including India, Thailand, and Vietnam leading has established home-based firms with improved fish muscle protein manufacturing plants. Indian domestic industry is being supplemented by high-quality seafood to process and manufacture the fish protein for food, animal feed, and nutraceutical purposes.
Vietnam and Thailand, with record-size in-bulk shipments of seafood, process domestically a portion of the fish protein concentrate and isolate for export shipment and domestically for local consumption. Regional demand is augmented by rising regional sophistication in protein diets.
Fish muscle protein business has witnessed the whole region controlled by Chinese companies in all the processes of fish processing and mass production, cost-saving-production models. China is the world leader in fish protein and feedstuff production and export for application in food, animal feeds, and pharmaceutical industries. Chinese companies are price makers and quantity setters and participated in the global value chain.
Shift towards Hydrolyzed Fish Muscle Protein for Medical & Sports Nutrition
Shift: Fish muscle protein hydrolysate is increasingly in demand in the sports and pharmaceutical sectors on account of increased bioavailability, rate-of-absorption, and enhanced amino acid profile. Surgical patients, the elderly, athletes, etc., are interested in highly bioavailable proteins that aid muscle healing and health. This ranks only second to increasing knowledge about fish muscle protein bioactive peptides, associated with better recovery of muscles, enhanced metabolism, and lowered inflammation.
Strategic Response: To meet this new requirement, Hofseth BioCare (Norway) has launched hydrolyzed salmon protein food supplements for sportsmen and elderly people. Enzymatically hydrolyzed fish proteins are sold by Nissui Corporation of Japan for hospital nutrition schemes to improve post-surgical recovery and muscle nutrition.
Peptan, the leader in collagen and protein, has also ventured into bioactive fish muscle peptides, e.g., manufacturing functional mixtures of proteins for medical nutrition and performance markets. Such advances are placing fish muscle protein on the map as a high-value specialist nutrition ingredient.
Demand Towards Ethical and Traceable Fish Muscle Protein Sourcing
Shift: Consumers increasingly seek greater transparency along the supply chain because ethical issues of overfishing, illegal fishing, and loss of ocean biodiversity become more pervasive. Consumers increasingly seek traced, certified fish muscle protein so they can be sure their consumption will ensure that sustainability and sustainable harvesting are being realized. Certifications like Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) become high-quality and trust marks.
Strategic Response: Thai Union responded to these challenges by implementing blockchain fish protein tracing, enabling customers to authenticate the origin and sustainability level of their protein products. Royal DSM introduced ASC-certified fish muscle proteins, which ensure compliance with rigorous environment and ethical standards.
PureSea (UK) diversified its range of sustainably sourced fish proteins, further growing its European and North American market share. With the advent of traceability programs and sustainable sourcing programs, companies are winning customer trust and premium product sales.
Increasing Demand for Hybrid Fish-Based Protein Foods in Plant-Forward Diets
Shift: Consumers are looking for more hybrid protein sources based on fish-based proteins and vegetable-based ingredients as flexitarian and plant-based consumption grows in popularity. It is spurred by sustainability, food diversification, and clean-label protein requirements. Hybrid fish proteins are gaining rapidly in alternative seafood, meal replacement, and functional foods.
Strategic Response: For penetrating this market, Good Catch Foods (USA) introduced hybrid seafood products of fish muscle peptides with plant proteins for texture and protein content. Maruha Nichiro (Japan) is producing fish muscle protein blends with added soy and pea proteins for human consumption by consumers seeking sustainable high-protein content. Equally, Nestlé's Garden Gourmet applied fish muscle protein to its seafood-replacement product line as a dietary substitute for fit-demanding consumers. All these trends are propelling the popularity and accessibility of fish muscle protein to mainstream dieting practices.
Fish Muscle Protein Innovation into Skincare and Beauty Nutrition
Shift: The nutricosmetics industry is seeing increasing demand for bioactive fish muscle peptides that possess anti-aging, moisturizing, and hair-strengthening functions. Other collagen-strengthening foods and functional beauty foods made from fish proteins are in demand to render the skin more elastic and improve its appearance.
Strategic Response: Top brands are formulating beauty-from-within products containing fish muscle protein. Rousselot launched Peptan Marine, a bioactive fish muscle protein ingredient used to promote skin elasticity and hydration and added to beauty powders and nutricosmetic capsules in general.
Vital Proteins launched a mixture of sea protein to improve luster in skin and hair strengthening directed towards Gen Z and millennial. Shiseido (Japan) invested in fish protein-derived peptides that are added to collagen drinks and nutricosmetic tablets. Such realignment strategy includes reshaping fish muscle protein into a prestige skincare personal care product globally in the skincare market.
Diversification of Fish Muscle Protein into Other Meat Uses
Shift: The alternative protein landscape is shifting, and fish muscle protein is under the spotlight as the superior ingredient for high-protein clean-label meat substitutes. As consumers move towards alternative sources of protein from cellular meat and plant, fish proteins are being used in hybrid meat substitutes, cultured seafood, and plant-based meat with higher protein content.
Strategic Response: Fish muscle protein is being used by companies in meat substitutes of the next generation. BlueNalu (USA) is leading with cell-based seafood from actual fish muscle protein as a sustainable choice over traditionally raised fish. Hooked Foods (Sweden) has cultivated seafood from plant-based origin that has been enriched with fish muscle protein to improve flavor and texture.
Singapore-made products by Shiok Meats involve incorporating fish muscle protein into their cell-cultured seafood, offering an homogeneous, sustainable product. New fish muscle protein companies entering the market as alternative proteins is that they are entering new and newly emerging food markets.
The following table shows the estimated growth rates of the top five territories expected to exhibit high consumption of fish muscle protein through 2035.
| Countries | CAGR 2025 to 2035 |
|---|---|
| USA | 10.5% |
| Germany | 7.0% |
| China | 9.4% |
| Japan | 7.6% |
| India | 9.2% |
Growing health consciousness among consumers to consume clean-label high-quality protein sources to meet their health, fitness, and general well-being needs is boosting the demand in the USA fish muscle protein market. With the rising trend of functional food and sports nutrition, fish protein hydrolysates, peptides, and isolates can find greater demand as they are more digestible and bio-available than regular protein sources.
As interest in innovative protein formulations continues to expand, fish-based proteins are becoming common in protein bars, meal replacements, and fortified snacks for health-oriented consumers and athletes.
Furthermore, the regulatory support for sustainable fisheries and extraction of marine-based protein also fuels innovations in fish protein hydrolysates and isolates for dietary supplements. At the same time, the USA Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and other environmental agencies are encouraging responsible fishery practices and full utilization of byproducts, driving investments in environmentally friendly, precision-extracted fish proteins.
With sustainability continuing to drive consumer buying choices, manufacturers are utilizing eco-friendly sourcing techniques and traceable supply chains to meet market demand.
Several factors are driving the stable growth of the fish muscle protein market in Germany, including stringent EU regulatory policies that support sustainable marine ingredient sourcing, as well as transparency and traceability of the source.
Fish protein peptides, bioavailable collagen formulations, and high-protein functional foods are in demand, as European consumers, who place a strong emphasis on product origins, look to high-quality, bioavailable sources. Marine-source proteins are popular active ingredients in anti-aging supplements, gut health products, and skin-rejuvenating nutraceuticals.
Influencing product innovation in Germany, too, is the ongoing rise of plant-based and flexitarian diets. So, manufacturers are looking to invest in hybrid fish-and-plant protein blends, which offer improved digestibility and a more balanced amino acid profile. Fish peptides based on plant proteins such as pea or rice are used in formulations that appeal to flexitarians looking for sustainable and ethical alternatives to protein.
Moreover, the beauty and wellness industry in Germany is experiencing increased demand for marine collagen as collagen peptides are becoming well-known for their health benefits for skin, hair, and joints. As clean-label and organic certifications have gained ground, German manufacturers have concentrated on high-class protein products from fish from sustainably managed stocks.
These factors have fuelled the emerging global fish muscle protein market where China is likely to be a major player. Due to increasing health awareness among consumers, a range of health-oriented products have now started to incorporate fish collagen peptides, enzymatically hydrolyzed proteins as well as bioactive fish protein extracts.
Another crucial factor contributing to the market growth is the presence of fish proteins in traditional Chinese medicine and modern medicine. In addition to the basic vitamins and minerals that fish meat and byproducts provide, fish protein hydrolysates and peptides are receiving research attention for their laboratory-studied, possible therapeutic effects such as wound healing, immune modulation, and metabolic support. Thanks to an aging population and increasing awareness about health, demand for these functional ingredients should stay robust.
Moreover, the demand for high-purity fish protein isolates for applications in clinical nutrition and pharmaceuticals is being driven by China’s state-sponsored progress in marine biotechnology. Investments in precision extraction, enzymatic hydrolysis, and sustainable aquaculture are putting China at the forefront of marine protein innovation. The booming fish-derived protein market in China is supported by domestic companies improving production scale and quality standards.
| Segment | Value Share (2025) |
|---|---|
| Fish Protein Hydrolysates & Peptides (By Type) | 65.1% |
Peptides and fish protein hydrolysates is the largest segment of the fish muscle protein market, accounting for a whopping 65.1% (2025) market share. The protein sources are highly bioavailable and are readily absorbed, making them suitable for use in sports nutrition, medical foods and nutraceuticals. This segment covers enzymatically hydrolyzed fish proteins, collagen-enriched products, and bioactive peptides, all of which support muscle recovery, joint health, and metabolic health in general.
As a growing number of consumers look for sustainable, highly digestible sources of protein, manufacturers are moving up a gear in marine-based protein innovation. Quality hydrolysis techniques are being utilized to improve protein purity, amino acids matrix balance, and functional properties for specialized dietary applications.
In addition, fermented whole fish protein hydrolysate with improved amino acid profiles have garnered interest as gut health and metabolic health supplements. The products offer superior digestibility and bioactivity, and now they are already applied more and more in functional foods, anti-aging assisting products, and customized nutrition products for maximal well-being.
| Segment | Value Share (2025) |
|---|---|
| Fish Protein Concentrates (By Type) | 34.9% |
The demand for alternative sources of protein is growing with the demand for a sustainable source of meat substitutes, and the fish protein concentrate market is expected to take approximately a 34.9% market share in the year 2025. Fish protein concentrates are a source of highly digestible and high-quality protein content, and are used extensively in fortified breakfast cereals, plant-based meat alternatives, and dairy alternative formulations.
As consumers seek functional foods with enhanced nutritional profiles, the use of fish protein concentrate in ready-to-eat foods, protein bars and meal replacement food products is increasing. As sustainability approaches become more pressing challenges for companies, precision-extracted fish protein concentrates increasingly meet the need for clean-label, allergen-free food applications. Advanced extraction technologies are being used for purification on an advanced level, improving bioavailability and making seafood processing cleaner.
Fish protein powders enriched with micronutrients are emerging in sports nutrition and immune-boosting food products. Fortified protein concentrates, containing additional essential amino acids, omega-3s and minerals from the sea, are becoming increasingly applicable to protein shakes, functional beverages and specialty diets for athletes, seniors and those focused on health.
Industry Overview of Fish Muscle Protein Market: The fish muscle protein market is highly competitive due to several companies emphasizing marine protein innovation along with sustainable sourcing and expanding the full range of applications for health and wellness nutrition. For improved bioavailability, companies are investing in advanced protein extraction, enzymatic hydrolysis, and microencapsulation.
High purity fish protein isolate, functional protein blends, bioactive marine peptides and so on segments the market into types. Several firms are building operations in North America and Europe to meet the increasing demand for sustainable marine proteins.
Some key strategies are through collaboration with nutraceutical brands, investing in alternative protein fermentation, and creating fish-protein based clinical nutrition. Moreover, producers are focusing on low-carbon processing technologies and sustainable packaging solutions.
For instance
The global fish muscle protein industry is projected to reach USD 437.8 million in 2025.
Key players include Omega Protein Corporation; Pacific Seafood Group; The Scoular Company; Scanbio Marine Group; Copalis Sea Solutions.
Asia-Pacific is expected to dominate due to high demand for marine-based protein ingredients in functional foods and dietary supplements.
The industry is forecasted to grow at a CAGR of 9.7% from 2025 to 2035.
Key drivers include rising demand for functional marine protein supplements, increasing use in health and wellness applications, and advancements in enzymatic protein hydrolysis technologies.
The market includes protein products derived from various fish species, such as Tuna, Salmon, Cod, Tilapia, and others, catering to diverse nutritional and industrial needs.
These proteins are available in different forms, including Concentrates, Isolates, and Hydrolysates, ensuring versatility for various applications.
The products are offered in both Powder and Liquid forms, providing flexibility for formulation and usage across industries.
Fish-derived proteins are widely used in industries such as Food & Beverages, Nutraceuticals & Supplements, Pharmaceuticals, Cosmetics & Personal Care, and Animal Feed, with additional applications in other specialized sectors.
The market is segmented as North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, East Asia, South Asia & Pacific, Central Asia, Russia and Belarus, Balkan & Baltic Countries, Middle East and Africa.
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Fish Muscle Protein Market
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