Marine sources of omega 3s supply something more than 500,000 tons annually of oils rich in EPA and DHA, Ismail said. But that supply is more or less fixed; and the world will need from 650,000 tons up to more than 2 million tons per annum—depending on where the intake recommendations are set—to meet the demand.
So all sources will need to be developed, Ismail said, including plant sources that have been genetically modified to yield the intermediate fatty acid SDA (Monsanto's GMO soybean source) or EPA or DHA directly, of which there are a number under development.