What is FCR and why does it matter for profitability?

FCR (Feed Conversion Ratio) is the kg of feed needed to produce 1 kg of fish. Lower FCR means less feed cost per kg of fish. A 0.1 improvement in FCR can save thousands of dollars per production cycle.

How does survival rate affect profit?

Mortality increases the effective cost per kg of harvested fish because dead fish consumed feed but produced no revenue. A 10% drop in survival can turn a profitable operation into a loss.

What is a good profit margin in aquaculture?

Typical net margins range from 10–30% for well-managed operations. Margins above 20% are considered strong. Feed typically accounts for 50–70% of total production cost.

ToolsConductScience tool

AquacultureFree in-browser calculator

Aquaculture Profit Estimator.

Estimate profit per kg based on market price, feed cost, FCR, and survival rate. Instant margin calculation.

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Validated2026-04-08

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Cost Parameters

Market Price ($/kg)

Feed Cost ($/kg feed)

FCR: 1.5

0.51.53.05.0

Survival: 90%

10%50%75%100%

Results

Profitable

$3.33/kg profit with 66.7% margin.

Revenue

$5.00/kg

market price

Production Cost

$1.67/kg

feed + mortality

Profit

$3.33/kg

net margin

Margin

66.7%

profit margin

When to use

Pre-cycle economic planning
Comparing feed brands by cost-effectiveness
Sensitivity analysis on FCR and survival
Break-even analysis for new species

Do not use for

As a full business plan — does not include labor, energy, depreciation, or fixed costs

Feed cost is not the only cost

This tool calculates feed-based cost only. Total production cost includes labor, energy, fingerlings, medications, and overhead.

FCR varies with fish size

Smaller fish have better FCR than larger fish. Overall FCR is a weighted average across the production cycle.

Method

Cost per kg = (feed cost $\times$ FCR) / (survival%). Profit = market price − cost per kg. Margin = profit / market price $\times$ 100.

Validated

Last validated 2026-04-08. Calculations are designed for planning and documentation support; verify procurement decisions against manufacturer specifications or institutional SOPs.

How to cite

How to Cite

ConductScience Aquaculture Profit Estimator (v1.0). ConductScience, Inc. 2026. Available at: https://conductscience.com/tools/aquaculture-profit-estimator

FAO. The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture. 2022.

Economics of Aquaculture Production

Profitability in aquaculture depends on the balance between market price and production cost. Feed is the largest variable cost (50–70% of total), making FCR the primary economic lever. Survival rate acts as a multiplier on all costs — lower survival means higher cost per kg harvested. This tool simplifies the core economic calculation to help managers make informed decisions about feed investment, stocking density, and harvest timing.

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