Farm Raised vs. Wild Caught....What's the difference? Which is better?
When you think of fish, in terms of food, you immediately think "Healthy"... right? I know I do! Salmon, Tilapia, Cod, Sea Bass, and various other types of fish are packed with omega 3 fatty acids, rich in various types of nutrients, high in protein and all the while being super low in calories and fat. So what exactly is the problem here? Well, depending on where your fish comes from, you might be getting a side of antibiotics or PCBs that you're unaware of.
Sounds a little FiShY doesn't it?
Ryan and I love to go deep sea fishing and it's probably why we get so excited about this Fins Weekend every year. We caught 3 good size Dolphins (Mahi Mahi, not bottle nose dolphins) and 1 Triple Tale. It was a pretty exciting day, but the best part is getting to stock our freezer with fresh, wild caught fish straight from the sea!
This of course got me thinking about Farm Raised vs. Wild Caught...I've heard some good and bad about both so I thought I would do some research myself and find out which is truly better...
Farm Raised- Consists of raising fish commercially in tanks, enclosures and controlled pens across the country usually in lakes, ponds, rivers and oceans. Due to their compact living situations and feed, they tend to have more diseases, toxins, artificial dyes, antibiotics and contain more fat then compared to their wild caught versions. 
Wild Caught - These fish tend to be higher in Omega 3 fatty acids, protein and contain very low levels of disease as well as being free from antibiotics, pesticides & artificial dyes. Wild caught are obviously free to roam about the ocean and find their own food which results in them containing less fat then the farm raised versions. While mercury can be an issue with wild caught, it can be just as much of an issue with farm raised fish that are raised in the ocean. The only down side is that wild caught fish tend to cost 3-4 times more than farm raised fish. 
Summary
While fish farming's main purpose was to meet the increase in demand of fish, keep the costs low and decrease the levels of mercury; the added antibiotics, pesticides, herbicides, GMOs and artificial dyes, not to mention the harmful effects it has on the environment, outweighs all the good. Although there are some exceptions, it's generally safest to stay away from farm raised fish if you can, and instead consider buying wild caught. It may cost a bit more but just think of all the harmful PCB chemicals and additives you'll avoid while getting more essential Omega 3's and protein! It is definitely the healthier and overall better choice :)
Source
Photo: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=farm-raised-fish-not-free-mercury-pcb-dioxin
http://blisstree.com/eat/nutrition/buy-the-right-fish-wild-caught-vs-farm-raised-713/
http://www.emagazine.com/earth-talk/concerns-about-farm-raised-fish
http://www.shapefit.com/salmon-farmed-wild.html
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Do you know anything about the sustainability of farm raised vs. wild? That's another thing I try to take into consideration, but I don't know anything about it
ReplyDeleteWe have over fished the oceans, with 75% of all species in decline, some making the endanger list. Ocean caught fishing, is NOT sustainable, while farmed fish. If the fish are raised in U.S. or Europe, the issues of pesticides, mercury, PCB's, most antibiotics, pests and et al. are not a consideration. Only fish raised in Asian countries, China, Thailand, Vietnam, etc. don't have the same restrictions as U.S./Europe, and their fish contain all sorts of unwanted material!
Deleteok, the article could be a little one-sided, no? Specally when you talk about mercury. MAny wild species are high on mercury levels, not only salmon. I think there are good and bad things about both sources, mostly when it comes to sustainability. we all know that overfishing is killing our oceans, but SOME cultured fish also feed on wild fish...On the other hand organic and multitrophic fish farming are starting to become popular, and that may be the answer to healthy, safe and sustainable source of fish. FAO and many others have a lot of material on sustainable fishing and fish farming! google it, it is a whole universe! ;) cheers!!
DeleteA great resource for sustainable fish choices is the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch website. On there you can find regional guides to sustainable fish choices. They have pocket guides that you may print out and take with your anywhere or there is now an app you can download. I use it all the time as a guide when I'm at the store or out at a restaurant.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/seafoodwatch.aspx?c=dd
Agree with your points. Studies done in USA, UK, Canada and in other parts of Europe confirm that farm raised fish do not contain the same level of Omega-3 and also farm raised fish contains antibiotics, coloring agents and pesticides that are not present in wild caught fish. Monterey Bay aquarium is a good source to determine what seafood to avoid and what is a best choice for consumption.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the source, I will be sure to check that out!
DeleteI raise fish indoors for food consumption in a RAS system without antibiotics, hormones, steriods or any other chemicals. Yes there are companies that do these things but please do not lump us all into one category. Check us out at willoughbyperch.com and please leave a comment card with any questions or concerns. Thank You Mike Cosper Farm Manager Willoughby Ohio Aquatic Farm.
ReplyDeleteI apologize for lumping you all into one group....I am so very aware that there are small farming practices that are very honorable and you are obviously one of those! I will be sure to go back in and edit this post, I am so very supportive of organic, antibiotic free farming, etc. Thank you for opening my eyes to this and making me aware of needing to cover all my bases in my posts! I will be sure to check out your site too!! Thank you!
DeleteThanks for writing this post, it's a great jumping off point for an article I'm doing. :)
DeleteI don't see any edits made.
Deletethanks for writing this post I am doing a research paper and needed help, thanks
ReplyDeleteThank You Susanah for responding to my post, I hope you had a chance to check us out online. I would be curious to know what you think. Thank You again,
ReplyDeleteMike Cosper
I looked at the fish farm mentioned, and didn't see any info on what the fish are fed. I like the idea of aquaculture outside of our natural waterways, but then my concerns go to the fish's diet. I'm sure they are getting some grains, corn in particular and probably soy too, all GMO. Is it also supplemented with wild-caught fish as well, per the usual? Willoughby's deserves commendation if they really are avoiding all the antibiotics, and should market that to their advantage.
ReplyDeleteMy family loves fish, and this is an issue I keep going around on - if it's possible to sustainably consume it, and avoid all the harmful things you mentioned. Great post!
The open pen salmon feedlot is in no way sustainable - salmon are carnivores that rely on a diet of wild fish - often harvested where human populations rely on these same small fish (anchovies, sardines, etc) in their diets. Of course other larger fish also rely on these forage fish. The growing demand for salmon is driven via marketing as people in developing nations are unable to afford the stuff. This industry must be taken down - the sooner, the better for people and wildlife!
DeleteNo-one should ever eat or buy salmon raised in open net-cages, particularly those on the coast of British Columbia, Canada. These feedlots are breeding grounds for sea-lice and diseases, which pass easily through the open cages to passing wild Pacific salmon. Migrating young wild salmon don't yet have scales to fight off the sea lice, and wild salmon of any age are susceptible to disease. Recent scientific testing indicates European diseases are now present in BC's feedlot salmon, most of which is owned by three Norwegian companies. Additionally, all salmon are carnivores and must be fed other wild fish, so the salmon feedlot industry is depleting the natural food-chain elsewhere. In summary, the issue is not about nutrition, it's about destruction of ecosystems wherever feedlots exist and where their food exists. The industry is not sustainable and must be stopped.
ReplyDeleteTotally agree, Laurie.
DeleteCorporate greed and corrupt government along with non-thinking public are destroying Beautiful British Columbia and its once endless source of natural resources - motto seems to be rape and pillage!
In no way will feedlot salmon be a good idea. It is unnatural, and it's already proving it's a breeding ground for disease. It has become corporate salmon. The term genetically engineered salmon should be scary enough. Atlantic Salmon from Norway don't belong in our stores, your stores, and the government should not be allowing sick Atlantic salmon, ridden with European viruses and antibiotics, into feedlots that are in the same waters as wild pacific salmon. This has turned into another money making venture, with no conscience for natural habitat. Say no to feedlot salmon of any kind, and support wild salmon.
ReplyDeleteOpen-net fish farms come with high ecological, social, and economic costs. Many people concerned about nutrition, the environment, and sustainably-harvested seafood refuse to buy or eat fish from open-net farms. The crowded feedlot conditions provide ideal breeding grounds for plagues of sea lice and viruses that are lethal to wild fish. Open-net fish farms deposit tons of feces (daily), dead or dying fish, and rotting uneaten feed into the surrounding waters—along with the antibiotics, delousing chemicals, and dyes required to bring open-net farmed fish to your local market or restaurant.
ReplyDeleteThe loss of healthy wild fish stocks has a profound effect upon wildlife--and the well-being of communities that depend upon wild seafood and tourism to feed their families. An additional concern is the frequent escapees from fish farms; such non-native species can threaten the genetic health of local wild fish. Wild fish and marine mammals become fouled in the nets; sea lions, seals, otters, and other animals attracted to the pens of fish are sometimes killed.
It is possible to use closed-containment, land-based fish farm techniques in which water and waste products are purified, re-used and recycled; such farms can be sustainable and profitable.
To learn more about open-net fish farms and their effects upon communities, you can watch: http://www.salmonwars.com or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-i5N03o0iVc (The Greed of Feed). More information about these issues can also be found at www.salmonaresacred.org or www.salmonfeedlotboycott.com .
If you value the environment, sustainable jobs, your health and that of your family, then it is a no brainer. Why on earth would anyone even consider buying farmed salmon?
ReplyDeleteNO to ALL farmed fish. Along with the unhealthiness of farmed fish and the mess left behind on the seafloor, it is also cruel to the fish. They are packed together so tightly, they often die from their scales being rubbed off, as they rub against each other or against the nets ! No life for them at all. :/
ReplyDeleteI guess if you really think about it, it doesn't seem that corporate farmed fish or wild fish are an ecologically sound alternative. But I guess people gotta be "be healthy" and get their "Omega 3's" even if it rapes the entire planet. It sounds like at least the Willoughby Ohio Aquatic Farm guy is presenting a more viable option.
ReplyDelete