The fish we eat at home are more often than not bred in fish farms, not caught in rivers, lakes and the ocean, as in times past. Aquaculture, as it’s come to be known, is a huge growth market, and is the long-term future of fish production.

Professor Berta Levavi-Sivan from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem has been investigating two molecules that play an important role in fish growth: “Neurokinin B” (NKB) and “Neurokinin F” (NKF). These are emitted from the fish’s brain and hinder its growth. Consequently, Levavi-Sivan has been developing other molecules that neutralize the effect of NKF and NKB, and thus promote growth. They can be added to the food that is given to the farm fish. Tests have already produced very good results: after two months young tilapia fish receiving the food supplement were 25 percent larger than the control group. Since then, 20 more...