NRGene Canada and Ile-a-la-Crosse Fish Co. Inc. have announced a key milestone in their black soldier fly (BSF) partnership: a dedicated feed recipe built around local fish-processing byproducts, validated at semi-industrial scale, producing MaxBSF larvae rich in marine omega-3s.
The partnership is designed to use local waste where it is generated and produce a highly nutritious feed supplement for poultry that, when fed to laying hens, could support eggs with a higher omega-3 content.
The collaboration, announced in January 2025, set out to turn a regional byproduct with limited economic use into a resource. Processing it locally would not only create a new revenue stream and jobs in Ile-a-la-Crosse, but also further support the fishing industry in northwest Saskatchewan with additional revenue opportunities for local harvesters.
Proven at semi-industrial scale
Fish-processing byproducts are high in moisture and fat and spoil quickly, making them challenging to use in conventional BSF production. Using them reliably takes a purpose-built feed, controlled conditions and high-performing genetics. To test all three at scale, NRGene Canada ran a semi-industrial trial at the North American Insect Center (NAIC) in Saskatoon. The run processed 0.3 metric tons of feed containing 50% fish-processing byproducts and produced approximately 90 kilograms of MaxBSF larvae (~3.3 wet FCR), reaching harvest after a five-day nursery stage and a six-day grow-out, an 11-day cycle.
"We set out to demonstrate that a difficult waste stream could be converted efficiently and consistently at a commercially meaningful scale," said Yossi Levi, chief business officer of NRGene Canada. "The run confirmed the process scales, and the economics hold up."
Omega-3-rich MaxBSF larvae
Analysis by Prairie Tide Diversified Inc., a CALA-accredited laboratory in Saskatoon, compared MaxBSF larvae reared on the fish-based feed with larvae of the same genetics reared on standard feed. The fish-fed larvae contained several times more total omega-3, and contained the marine omega-3s EPA and DHA, neither of which was detected in the standard-feed larvae.
"These results matter because conventional BSF larvae generally contain very limited levels of EPA and DHA," said Dr. Ben Gradus, director of product, BSF at NRGene Canada. "By incorporating fish-processing byproducts into the feed, we can produce MaxBSF larvae that combine insect protein with valuable marine omega-3 fatty acids."
The enhanced nutritional profile also creates new potential for MaxBites, NRGene Canada's dried BSF larvae product for animal feed. An omega-3-rich MaxBites product could serve as a higher-value poultry feed supplement, with the potential to support increased omega-3 levels in chickens and their eggs.
Next phase: on-site rearing in Ile-a-la-Crosse
With the feed validated, the partners are planning an on-site BSF rearing facility in Ile-a-la-Crosse sized to the byproducts the region generates. Rearing on site would avoid transporting a highly perishable feedstock while creating local jobs and keeping more of the knowledge and economic value within the community.
Neonates would come from FairGene, the joint venture between NRGene Canada and Fairville Farming Co. in Bassano, Alberta, which began producing BSF eggs in July. The project would be an example of NRGene Canada's hub-and-spoke model, pairing centralized egg and neonate production with regional rearing sites close to local byproduct streams.
"Our community is proud to be at the forefront of this innovative work," said Tyler Morin, CEO of Ile-a-la-Crosse Fish Co. "This partnership reflects our cultural values of sustainability and way of life. Processing our byproducts locally means more of the jobs, knowledge and value stay in Ile-a-la-Crosse."
"This is a scalable model, not a one-time project," said Levi. "We take a local organic byproduct, develop a dedicated feed, supply high-quality neonates from a central egg facility and establish the rearing operation close to the feedstock. Many regional byproduct streams could benefit from the same approach."
