What Are the Differences? Is One Better Than the Other?
When you go to the seafood counter at your local grocer, virtually every item on display will be listed as either “farmed” or “wild-caught.” What is the difference? Is one better for you than the other?
What Is Farmed Seafood?
According to some estimates, approximately three of every four salmon filets sold commercially in the United States are the product of farmed fishing. Farm fishing, also known as “aquaculture,” involves the breeding, growth and harvesting of fish and other types of seafood in a controlled environment. Most aquaculture operations use tanks, net pens or ponds.
What Are the Advantages of Farmed Seafood?
Proponents of aquaculture say that farm fishing offers a number of benefits:
- Farm fishing, when done properly, can be a sustainable way to make protein more available to a growing global population, as farm fishing has a lower carbon footprint than other land-based sources of protein, such as cattle
- Farm fishing takes significant pressure off wild-caught fish stocks, which, by most estimates, are currently being over-exploited
- Farming certain types of bivalves, such as clams, oysters and mussels, can actually be used to improve water quality
- Certain types of farm fishing can also help rebuild shellfish reefs and help restore damaged habitats
- Farm fishing can have a significant positive economic impact, contributing more than $4 billion to the American economy annually
- Farm fishing can provide a safer alternative, as the seafood in aquaculture is not exposed to toxins and pollution in the world’s natural bodies of water
What Are the Disadvantages of Farm Fishing?
Farm fishing does not come without significant problems:
- Environmentalists contend that the farms generate large quantities of waste, which can leach into surrounding water. In addition, many aquaculture operations use potentially unhealthy fertilizers and chemicals.
- The concentration of fish in aquaculture tend to make them more susceptible to disease and parasites
- The antibiotics used to prevent disease in farm fishing can encourage the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which can affect human health as well
- The conditions in which the fish are raised are typically unsanitary and crowded, leading to high mortality rates and deformities
What About Wild-Caught Seafood?
Not surprisingly, there are advantages and disadvantages to wild-caught seafood as well:
- Wild-caught seafood is typically found to contain more Omega-3 fatty acids than farm-raised fish, which can improve heart health, as well as vision and brain development. Studies also show that wild-caught salmon are less likely to contain carcinogens.
- Wild-caught fish have long been known to contain higher levels of mercury, though there is disagreement among scientists as the severity of the risk. Wild-caught fish, such as tuna and salmon, are also known to ingest significant amounts of plastic, which can be harmful to humans. Wild-caught seafood may also have inconsistent nutritional value, based on a variety of environmental factors.
