How to Choose Between Farm Raised Vs. Wild Salmon
Salmon is a staple food item in America, and it's easy to see why the fish has become so popular. It's touted for its health benefits, delivering a healthy dose of omega-3 fatty acids that boost heart health. Plus, it tastes good and is easy to prepare in a variety of ways. However, there is a debate raging over whether Americans should eat wild salmon or farmed salmon. Because wild salmon have been over-fished, salmon farms have been sprouting up in the United States to make the fish more widely available. In salmon farms, operators control the production of salmon as well as what they eat, and the fish are confined to a certain area by nets. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Determine why you eat the fish. For instance, if you enjoy the taste of farmed salmon and have never tried wild, you may be in for a surprise. The flavor of wild salmon varies more, because they have different habitats and diets than farmed fish. Farmed salmon have a higher fat content than wild salmon as well. However, if you eat the fish for its health benefits, wild salmon will be the better choice. Although farmed fish are fattier than wild, they contain less usable omega-3 fatty acids. And farmed salmon have significantly higher levels of PCBs, pesticides, mercury and other carcinogens than wild salmon do, because bits of oily fish in their meal tend to contain these contaminants.
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Look at the price and availability of wild salmon versus farmed salmon, and determine how each fits into your needs and budget. Because salmon farms have made the fish so prevalent, farmed salmon are reasonably priced and widely available all year round. On the other hand, wild salmon are seasonal, so they are widely available from May to October and are pricier.
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Consider the environmental impact of salmon farms, and whether you feel it's a good reason to discontinue eating farmed salmon. Because so many salmon are confined to a small area in the farms, there is greater risk for the spread of disease and parasites. Excess waste from the salmon decreases the amount of oxygen in the water and harms nearby ecosystems. Some farmed salmon manage to escape, and they disrupt the wild salmon's habitat and spawning.
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Consider the benefits that salmon farming businesses could have on local economies. Salmon farming is a fast-growing industry that has provided a large percentage of jobs in rural areas. In many cases, the industry has helped to boost a faltering rural economy.
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References
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