Wild-Caught or Farm-Raised Salmon

Dear Jessica,

Is it better to buy wild-caught or farm-raised salmon and what is the difference between them ?

Fishing for Help

Dear Fishing,

Great question.  There is a lot of confusion regarding what type of salmon to buy.  Based on my research, most experts consider wild-caught salmon to be superior to farm-raised for the following reasons:

• Wild salmon has better flavor and texture than farm-raised.
• Wild salmon contains a higher proportion of beneficial Omega 3 fats than farm-raised.  Farm-raised salmon, on the other hand, has a higher overall fat content and is higher in omega 6 fats (which we already consume too much of).
•  Wild salmon achieve their pink coloring naturally while farm-raised salmon are given a salmon-colored dye in their feed in order to make their flesh pink and appetizing.
• Wild salmon are not given antibiotics, while farmed salmon are vaccinated and sometimes given antibiotics or pesticides to eliminate disease.
• Wild salmon have lower levels of PCBs, dioxin and other toxins than farm-raised.
• Wild salmon is better for the environment.  According to National Geographic, farm-raised salmon are more prone to sea lice, which kills and infects up to 95 percent of wild juvenile salmon that swim past the farms.

The label “Atlantic” salmon refers to the species, not their origin and these fish are generally farm-raised.  In addition, some companies have started to call “farm-raised” fish “ocean-raised” as a marketing strategy, but this is in fact, just another name for farm-raised.  The label “organic” is also misleading for salmon since the USDA currently does not have standards that pertain to seafood and the term is usually used to describe farm-raised salmon.  

If you want to buy wild salmon, look for Alaskan salmon.  It is always wild since the state does not permit salmon farming and practices sustainable fishing.  Also, if you are trying to save money, canned salmon is a great choice.  It costs less and is almost always wild.  (Canned salmon is also a delicious alternative to tuna fish.)   

Hope this helps!

Jessica

In her free time, Jessica enjoys researching food and healthy eating.  If you have a food-related question that you would like answered in the Journal, please email her at Jessica_L_Tucker@yahoo.com