Wild vs Farmed Fish

Up until about 5 years ago, I always bought farmed fish. I like the way it tasted. It always looked healthier in the store. It didn't taste like mud when I ate it. And I thought I was doing the right thing for my family. And then, back in 2021, my wife had me sit down and watch a documentary on farmed fish. I strongly suggest everyone go on a platform like NETFLIX and watch one. It was nothing like I had expected.

I'm going to use farmed salmon for my example today because it is the most farmed fish here in the U.S. Did you all know that 70% of our global salmon supply is farmed and that farmed Salmon also accounts for 99% of Atlantic salmon sold? In all honesty, I didn't know that until I Googled it. 

Farmed fish is as you would imagine. They are put in containment pens. These pens can be land-based or Open Net Pens which are used extensively for fish like salmon. 

Now if you are like me, you have no idea what the advantages or disadvantages of these pens are or how they operate. Here is what I research told me.

LAND BASED PENS: 

The Good:

Because they are land based, fish can't escape in these containment pens. This in turn, keeps the fish from interbreeding with the wild population or other fish (yes, apparently this does happen). Because they are isolated on land & from other fish, they are also protected from diseases like sea lice and other pathogens.

Since their environment is totally controlled, (temperature, oxygen, you name it) this keeps things like microplastics (found in the ocean) out of the fish. 

These pens also allow for fish waste and uneaten food to be filtered out. And this is important because it's vastly different from the Open Net Pens I'm about to write about. 

The Bad:

Land-based containment pens are very expensive to build and operate. Between the high energy demands and the filtration systems, it is not a good alternative for these fish farmers or our environment. The good news is that most corporations don't use these pens because of the expense. The bad news is Open Net Pens are worse for the environment, the fish and us. 

OPEN NET PENS:

The Good: 

For corporations these pens are a much cheaper way to confine the fish. Which means costs to consumers can be kept lower. It uses the natural ocean currents to deliver oxygen and everything the fish need to thrive.

These pens also allow for high-density farming. Which means it helps the farmers meet global demand.

The Bad

These pens are TERRIBLE for our marine ecosystems. All the food and waste from the confined fish can literally alter local ecosystems.

Since these pens are open to the ocean, these tightly confined fish are the perfect breeding grounds for sea lice and other pathogens. Because these fish tend to be more diseased due to their tight quarters, fish that pass by these pens are susceptible to the diseases from the penned fish, which further harm our fragile ocean ecosystem. 

Because of the susceptibility of these fish to diseases, farmers have to use antibiotics, pesticides and insecticides to keep the pens clean. These chemicals are not good for the fish, for us or for the ocean ecosystem. 

The antibiotics they use on the penned fish are used to prevent bacterial diseases in these crowded pens. And when I mean crowded, I mean these fish are literally living on top of each other, pooping on each other and digesting the feces they are covered in.  

The most common used antibiotics on these fish are oxytetracycline, florfenicol, sulfadimethoxine/ormetroprim, and erythromycin. And while we use some of these antibiotics when we get sick, most people already know that when our bodies are exposed to antibiotics over time, they stop working on us. 

Synthetic Pyrethroids: this is an insecticide used to disrupt an insects nervous system. They are generally considered low in toxicity because we metabolize them rapidly. But in large quantities in humans, they can overstimulate nerves. It can cause dizziness, nausea, muscle twitching and convulsions. 

Teflubenzuron: used to kill sea lice. It is also highly toxic to aquatic life. 

Organophosphates: these are chemicals also used to kill sea lice. They are normally found in agricultural insecticides and nerve agents. Overexposure to organophosphates can cause issues like nausea, muscle twitching, respiratory failure, paralysis and even death. 

Emamectin Benzoate: This common pesticides is a potent semi-synthetic macrocyclic lactone insecticide derived from the avermectin family. That's a mouthful, right? This pesticide attacks the nervous system of pests and is used to eliminate pests like sea lice. If you look up this chemical it says it is highly toxic to aquatic life, bees & certain beneficial insects. While it is toxic to mammals (us) in high doses, standard agricultural applications have a low risk of causing harm to humans and wildlife when "handled according to manufacturer instructions." In other words, our corporations are telling us a small bit of poison won't hurt us. Just don't drink up.

Now the food penned fish eat. Unlike Wild Salmon that eat crustaceans and algae that give them their signature reddish-orange color, farmed salmon are frequently raised on processed food like fishmeal & fats. We have all seen what processed foods are doing to us with the higher rates of cancer, autoimmune diseases and diabetes nowadays. So imagine what they're doing to the farmed fish we eat. This processed food contains chemicals like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB's)..remember what I said about avoiding any food with big words broken down into 4 letters! Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are HIGHLY TOXIC synthetic chemicals that persist for years in the environment and accumulate in fatty tissues. They are classified as a probable human carcinogen and endocrine disruptors. Chronic exposure can cause reproductive, neurological, and immune system damage, as well as severe skin condition. Levels of PCB's in Farmed Fish are likely 7x higher than Wild Caught fish. 

Then to achieve that pink color, producers supplement their feed with carotenoids (pigments naturally found in the wild). But these are the synthetic versions. And while everything I have read says they are safe for us, I'm not big on synthetic anything when it comes to putting it in or on our bodies. Regardless of my feelings, research does suggest these synthetic carotenoids are relatively safe. Personally, I'm not buying it. 

But then there are the synthetic dyes. Remember I said I liked the way my fish looked better when I bought the farmed version? Well it turns out pigments like Astaxanthin & Canthaxanthin are what helps achieve that pretty pink color in farmed salmon. The problem is synthetic dyes are known for their cancer risks and hyperactivity/neurobehavioral issues in children. I have ADHD and I avoid food coloring like the plague. So ingredients like this are a No No for people like me. 

Then the more I researched I found this gem. Public health officials and environmental experts agree that the risks from these types of synthetic chemicals are highest among developing infants, pregnant women and young kids. So they should avoid it but the rest of us should eat it? Uh...hard pass. 

So why should we eat Wild Caught Salmon instead?

Wild Caught Salmon is not treated with chemicals and has naturally higher levels of potassium and Vitamin D than the farmed salmon. Wild caught salmon is a leaner fish. Has lower levels of pollutants than the farmed varieties, especially those nasty PCB's. And it also contains the non-synthetic version of astaxanthin (in other words it's All Natural) which is a powerful antioxidant that gives the Wild Salmon its pinkish color instead of those synthetic artificial colorants in the farmed versions. 

Salmon, in general (wild or farmed), is high in Omega 3's, which helps with chronic inflammation lowers blood pressure and helps with cardiovascular disease. It contains DHA (which is an omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acid) that promotes brain and mood health. And in it's Wild form is overall better for our bodies. All this good stuff, even though it's also in the farmed version, won't matter if they're pumping the farmed fish with antibiotics, synthetic chemicals and pesticides that can cause diseases like cancer. 

As I said earlier, I'm using salmon as my example but this goes for any fish, scallops, shrimp and so on that is wild vs farmed. 

The key takeaways should be:

1. Farm-raised fish often suffer & have poorer nutritional values

2. Farmed-raised fish contain a higher fat content

3. Farmed-raised fish have lower healthy Omega 3's

4. Farmed-raised fish are pumped with antibiotics and synthetic chemicals that can cause diseases like cancer

5. And if any of you care about the effects on our environment, these crowded pens, whether on land or in the sea, are not good for our environment. 

In the grand scheme of things, I'd still be more open to eating a farmed salmon compared to a non organic vegetable, especially after we are seeing the results of tainted lettuce now due to a Cyclospora outbreak which causes weeks of explosive diarrhea. But I do these blogs just to pass on the facts and leave the shopping decisions up to you. 

Now, anyone who reads my blogs knows I love to share recipes after I write about a topic. So here is one of my favorite Mediterranean salmon recipes. It's a sheet pan recipe and it is super simple.

Take a sheet pan and place your salmon in the center. 

Surround it with tomatoes (I like Wild Wonders) or I use the ones from my garden during growing season. 

Add Kalamata olives, lemon, Italian seasoning, capers and drizzle with olive oil. Oh who am I kidding. Pour that olive oil all over that fish! 

Bake for about 20 minutes on 375 and enjoy!

You can also add potatoes to it if you want a carb or make some rice on the side and put the fish over it. Veggies are veggies. You do you, boo. 

As always, I like to end my blogs with I'm not a doctor, scientist or researcher. I do these blogs because I want to educate people on what corporations are putting in our foods so you can make the best choices for your families. 

Stay healthy and enjoy :-)