As of late, there has been a lot of debate about the negative health effects of farmed fish versus wild. Logically speaking, it would sense that a fish caught in the wild would have less fat, chemicals, hormones and even diseases. But, since loving your grub means doing your homework, it was time I looked to the facts to determine if my household was permanently switching to wild caught fish.
For those of us fish eaters, salmon is the staple. It's the one fish, guaranteed on a menu and it's fleshy texture makes this lean protein delicious and a welcome addition to any meal. For that, and other reasons not entirely known to me, I've decided to focus this discussion on the facts about salmon as opposed to other types of fish. I'm sure you can make assumptions based on the information below to determine whether or not farmed fish is unhealthy, but just needed to put out the disclaimer!
The Problems with Farmed Salmon
Opponents to farmed salmon seem to have two major concerns, the levels of contaminants found in the fish and the environmental impact fish farms have on marine life. There are also concerns about the amount and quality of nutrients found in farmed fish, but as you will see, this actually becomes a much more minor point in the overall discussion of wild vs. farmed.
I don't love contaminants in my food.
Who does, seriously?! I don't think any thinking, breathing person that presented with a choice, would choose contaminated food over non-contaminated food. But, as millions of North America due to financial constraints cannot afford to purchase organic and free-range, the debate about contaminated fish is important in a conversation about proper eating habits. The fact is, the benefit of eating fish seriously outweighs the negatives of eating farmed fish...here's why.
The main contaminant found in salmon is called PCB (polychlorinated biphenyl) is actually found in both wild and farmed salmon. In both cases, studies have shown that the levels of PCBs found in the fish are well below dangerous levels. In 2004, one study showed that farmed fish had ten times the amount of PCBs than wild fish however subsequent studies have shown that the levels are actually more similar.
Mercury is also a contaminant that many people worry about, however the most farmed fish (catfish, tilapia and salmon) contain low or very low levels of mercury. (FYI - the fish with the highest levels of mercury are wild-caught swordfish, king mackerel, tilefish, shark and tuna.)
In Canada, there are strict rules governing fish farms. Less than 3% of feed is medicated – and many farms use no medication at all. Antibiotics are only used to treat specific diseases and are administered under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian. Strict withdrawal periods are enforced by government agencies to ensure antibiotics have been cleared from the animal’s system before harvested. Hormones are not used in salmon grown for human consumption.
However, this is not the case in all countries that farm fish. Studies have shown that Asian and European farms contain higher contaminants than North American farms. Interestingly, fish farmed in Chile seem to have the lowest levels.
So, the good news is that both wild and farmed salmon have low levels of mercury, PCBs and other contaminants. But, some experts say while the contaminant levels are safe for the average person in moderate amounts, children and pregnant women may opt to eat wild salmon, to be on the safe side.
I don't love destroying the environment
Among mainstream audiences, the environmental impact of fish farms are not widely discussed in the wild vs. farmed debate. For this hippy, it's huge.
There are three main concerns about the impact of fish farms on the environment. The are, escapes, disease and pollution.
Escaping Fish:
Fish farms are netted areas within larger bodies of water as pictured below. Not surprising then that some of the fish might escape.
Environmentalists are worried that the escape and unintended introduction of foreign species (as most farmed salmon are Atlantic Salmon and many farms are located on the west coast) has the potential to pose and environmental concern. There have been cases of escaped salmon, however there has been no documentation cases of cross-breeding.
Further, studies show that escaped farmed salmon (in the Pacific or Atlantic) have a low survival rate in the wild and more importantly, Atlantic salmon (wild or farmed) cannot mate with Pacific salmon successfully...they are actually different species.
Disease:
Because salmon farms raise fish in relatively small, enclosed areas, there are concerns that the high stocking densities can contribute or worsen disease outbreak.
Transferring Disease - Since salmon farms often produce Atlantic salmon, not native to many Pacific coast farms, there have been concerns about the impact that importing Atlantic salmon eggs has on wild stocks. There are, however, restrictions on egg importation and broodstock fish from which the eggs are taken, tested and disinfected to minimize disease.
Sea Lice - Sea lice from farmed fish can infect native salmon populations. They are small marine parasites that occur naturally on many different species of wild fish. Sea lice from salmon farms are one of the most significant threats facing wild salmon. Stocked year round with hundreds of thousands of fish in small areas, fish farms are ideal breeding grounds for lice. Infestations on farms significantly increase the number of lice in surrounding waters, far beyond what would occur naturally.
Regulations in Canada and the US, however, require monthly monitoring to ensure that sea lice numbers don't exceed three lice per fish. If an infestation occurs, authorities must be notified and treatment must start immediately. Sea lice is treated with a chemical that leaves very little residue in the marine environment.
I don't love eating food that can be harmful to my body
When doing my research for this article, one point came through time and again. Salmon, wild or farmed, is incredibly good for your body and should absolutely be a staple in your diet.
Nutrients and Minerals:
Omega-3 fatty acids are found in all fish, but especially in high levels in fish such as salmon. They reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease in adults and promote healthy vision and brain development in children. In farmed salmon, the levels of Omega-3 are dependent on their feed. Fish feed contains plants, grains and fish meal. As such, because their diets make them fattier, farmed salmon contain as many if not more Omega-3 fatty acids. Also because of the feed, farmed salmon have much more Omega-6 fatty acids and saturated fat as well as some Vitamin C.
On the other hand, wild salmon is higher in minerals including potassium, zinc and iron.
GMOs and Hormones:
Farmed fish for human consumption are not given hormones to stimulate growth. As well, there are no genetically modified fish sold for human consumption, although you can apparently buy glow-in-the-dark tropical fish for your fish tank.
What about the colour of the flesh?
The colour of a salmon's flesh actually has nothing to do with fat or contaminant levels. For instance, Atlantic salmon, wild or farmed, is a pale orange while Sockeye is dark red. The paler Atlantic salmon actually has more fatty acids. Farmed salmon are also given carotenoids - a pigment found in plants like carrots - that tints the fish's flesh to resemble the colours in wild salmon species like Coho and Sockeye.
Check out this great infographic from Prevention magazine that helps to explain the nutritional variances between wild and farmed salmon.
The Bottom Line:
Wild salmon is better for you, but farmed fish isn't so bad either. If money and access are not a factor, choose wild. If money and access are an issue for you, choose farmed. The bottom line is that eating salmon at least twice a week, wild or farmed, is essential to a healthy diet.
Stay tuned for tips and recipes to make excellent salmon!
Resources:
http://www.aquaculture.ca/files/GuidetoCanadianFarmedSalmon.pdf
http://www.farmedanddangerous.org/salmon-farming-problems/environmental-impacts/sea-lice/
http://www.prevention.com/content/which-healthier-wild-salmon-vs-farmed-salmon
http://www.doh.wa.gov/CommunityandEnvironment/Food/Fish/FarmedSalmon
http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/health-fitness/healthy-eating/farm-raised-vs-wild-caught-fish
http://bc.ctvnews.ca/farmed-vs-wild-salmon-which-is-better-1.485140
http://authoritynutrition.com/wild-vs-farmed-salmon/
For those of us fish eaters, salmon is the staple. It's the one fish, guaranteed on a menu and it's fleshy texture makes this lean protein delicious and a welcome addition to any meal. For that, and other reasons not entirely known to me, I've decided to focus this discussion on the facts about salmon as opposed to other types of fish. I'm sure you can make assumptions based on the information below to determine whether or not farmed fish is unhealthy, but just needed to put out the disclaimer!
The Problems with Farmed Salmon
Opponents to farmed salmon seem to have two major concerns, the levels of contaminants found in the fish and the environmental impact fish farms have on marine life. There are also concerns about the amount and quality of nutrients found in farmed fish, but as you will see, this actually becomes a much more minor point in the overall discussion of wild vs. farmed.
I don't love contaminants in my food.
Who does, seriously?! I don't think any thinking, breathing person that presented with a choice, would choose contaminated food over non-contaminated food. But, as millions of North America due to financial constraints cannot afford to purchase organic and free-range, the debate about contaminated fish is important in a conversation about proper eating habits. The fact is, the benefit of eating fish seriously outweighs the negatives of eating farmed fish...here's why.
The main contaminant found in salmon is called PCB (polychlorinated biphenyl) is actually found in both wild and farmed salmon. In both cases, studies have shown that the levels of PCBs found in the fish are well below dangerous levels. In 2004, one study showed that farmed fish had ten times the amount of PCBs than wild fish however subsequent studies have shown that the levels are actually more similar.
Mercury is also a contaminant that many people worry about, however the most farmed fish (catfish, tilapia and salmon) contain low or very low levels of mercury. (FYI - the fish with the highest levels of mercury are wild-caught swordfish, king mackerel, tilefish, shark and tuna.)
In Canada, there are strict rules governing fish farms. Less than 3% of feed is medicated – and many farms use no medication at all. Antibiotics are only used to treat specific diseases and are administered under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian. Strict withdrawal periods are enforced by government agencies to ensure antibiotics have been cleared from the animal’s system before harvested. Hormones are not used in salmon grown for human consumption.
However, this is not the case in all countries that farm fish. Studies have shown that Asian and European farms contain higher contaminants than North American farms. Interestingly, fish farmed in Chile seem to have the lowest levels.
So, the good news is that both wild and farmed salmon have low levels of mercury, PCBs and other contaminants. But, some experts say while the contaminant levels are safe for the average person in moderate amounts, children and pregnant women may opt to eat wild salmon, to be on the safe side.
I don't love destroying the environment
Among mainstream audiences, the environmental impact of fish farms are not widely discussed in the wild vs. farmed debate. For this hippy, it's huge.
There are three main concerns about the impact of fish farms on the environment. The are, escapes, disease and pollution.
Escaping Fish:
Fish farms are netted areas within larger bodies of water as pictured below. Not surprising then that some of the fish might escape.
Environmentalists are worried that the escape and unintended introduction of foreign species (as most farmed salmon are Atlantic Salmon and many farms are located on the west coast) has the potential to pose and environmental concern. There have been cases of escaped salmon, however there has been no documentation cases of cross-breeding.
Further, studies show that escaped farmed salmon (in the Pacific or Atlantic) have a low survival rate in the wild and more importantly, Atlantic salmon (wild or farmed) cannot mate with Pacific salmon successfully...they are actually different species.
Disease:
Because salmon farms raise fish in relatively small, enclosed areas, there are concerns that the high stocking densities can contribute or worsen disease outbreak.
Transferring Disease - Since salmon farms often produce Atlantic salmon, not native to many Pacific coast farms, there have been concerns about the impact that importing Atlantic salmon eggs has on wild stocks. There are, however, restrictions on egg importation and broodstock fish from which the eggs are taken, tested and disinfected to minimize disease.
Sea Lice - Sea lice from farmed fish can infect native salmon populations. They are small marine parasites that occur naturally on many different species of wild fish. Sea lice from salmon farms are one of the most significant threats facing wild salmon. Stocked year round with hundreds of thousands of fish in small areas, fish farms are ideal breeding grounds for lice. Infestations on farms significantly increase the number of lice in surrounding waters, far beyond what would occur naturally.
Regulations in Canada and the US, however, require monthly monitoring to ensure that sea lice numbers don't exceed three lice per fish. If an infestation occurs, authorities must be notified and treatment must start immediately. Sea lice is treated with a chemical that leaves very little residue in the marine environment.
I don't love eating food that can be harmful to my body
When doing my research for this article, one point came through time and again. Salmon, wild or farmed, is incredibly good for your body and should absolutely be a staple in your diet.
Nutrients and Minerals:
Omega-3 fatty acids are found in all fish, but especially in high levels in fish such as salmon. They reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease in adults and promote healthy vision and brain development in children. In farmed salmon, the levels of Omega-3 are dependent on their feed. Fish feed contains plants, grains and fish meal. As such, because their diets make them fattier, farmed salmon contain as many if not more Omega-3 fatty acids. Also because of the feed, farmed salmon have much more Omega-6 fatty acids and saturated fat as well as some Vitamin C.
On the other hand, wild salmon is higher in minerals including potassium, zinc and iron.
GMOs and Hormones:
Farmed fish for human consumption are not given hormones to stimulate growth. As well, there are no genetically modified fish sold for human consumption, although you can apparently buy glow-in-the-dark tropical fish for your fish tank.
What about the colour of the flesh?
The colour of a salmon's flesh actually has nothing to do with fat or contaminant levels. For instance, Atlantic salmon, wild or farmed, is a pale orange while Sockeye is dark red. The paler Atlantic salmon actually has more fatty acids. Farmed salmon are also given carotenoids - a pigment found in plants like carrots - that tints the fish's flesh to resemble the colours in wild salmon species like Coho and Sockeye.
Check out this great infographic from Prevention magazine that helps to explain the nutritional variances between wild and farmed salmon.
The Bottom Line:
Wild salmon is better for you, but farmed fish isn't so bad either. If money and access are not a factor, choose wild. If money and access are an issue for you, choose farmed. The bottom line is that eating salmon at least twice a week, wild or farmed, is essential to a healthy diet.
Stay tuned for tips and recipes to make excellent salmon!
Resources:
http://www.aquaculture.ca/files/GuidetoCanadianFarmedSalmon.pdf
http://www.farmedanddangerous.org/salmon-farming-problems/environmental-impacts/sea-lice/
http://www.prevention.com/content/which-healthier-wild-salmon-vs-farmed-salmon
http://www.doh.wa.gov/CommunityandEnvironment/Food/Fish/FarmedSalmon
http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/health-fitness/healthy-eating/farm-raised-vs-wild-caught-fish
http://bc.ctvnews.ca/farmed-vs-wild-salmon-which-is-better-1.485140
http://authoritynutrition.com/wild-vs-farmed-salmon/