Salmon is so popular, that worldwide consumption has tripled since 1980. To keep up with demand, you can choose between wild salmon and salmon that’s farm-raised. Here’s how to make an informed choice.
Wild Salmon vs. Farm-Raised Salmon
In America, wild salmon is caught in regions like Alaska and coastal areas of the Pacific Ocean including Oregon, northern California, and Washington.
Most farmed salmon are raised in open-net fish pens in the ocean and fed a processed fish feed that’s more plant-based. This ultimately results in salmon that doesn’t have as much of the protein and omega-3 fatty acids found in wild salmon. Wild-caught fish eat food from their natural environment.
One of the concerns around farm-raised salmon is in the amount of antibiotics they’re fed which can be a health issue for humans, as well as creating an environmental concern.
The color of the farm-raised salmon that you find in grocery stores tends to be lighter pink than the vibrant orange-red of wild salmon. The flesh of wild-caught salmon is firmer than that of farm-raised salmon which can be fattier but is also flakier. If you're putting them to a taste test, farm-raised salmon tends to be milder than the richer, more savory flavor of wild salmon.
Differences in Nutritional Value
When you eat salmon, you're doing one of the easiest, tastiest things to improve your diet. Eating salmon can boost brain health, contribute to healthy vision, and battle cardiovascular disease.
Salmon has long been favored for its healthy omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. However, because of the special diet that they’re fed, farm-raised salmon tend to have higher levels of omega-6 fats; wild salmon is higher in omega-3 fats.
Wild salmon is lower in both saturated fat and calories, and higher in vitamins and minerals like iron and B-12. It also has fewer contaminants (like PCBs) than does farm-raised salmon.
There are concerns over the level of antibiotics used in fish farms, and the traces of mercury found in wild salmon. Overall, between farmed salmon and wild, wild salmon is generally considered fresher, healthier, and more nutritious.
Polyunsaturated Fat Content
Salmon is one of the healthiest fish with many nutritional benefits. However, there are differences between the fats in farmed salmon and salmon caught in the wild. Wild salmon have less fat overall because these particular fish swim long distances. Farm-raised salmon have more, mainly due to lifestyle and the diet that they’re fed.
A wild salmon has about 31 percent polyunsaturated fat, lower than the nearly 42 percent found in its farm-raised counterpart.
When it comes to healthy omega acids, wild-caught salmon has more omega-3 fatty acids and fewer omega-6 acids than farm-raised salmon.
Contaminants in Farmed Salmon
The salmon farming industry is growing rapidly. The global market is currently valued at a little over $17 billion; by 2031, it’s predicted to nearly double. The salmon farming industry is closely monitored by numerous groups to ensure both humane treatment and healthy, sustainable practices; these groups include the EPA and the World Wildlife Fund.
Some concerns around farmed salmon include the presence of contaminants such as PCBs, pesticides, and heavy metals including lead, mercury, and cadmium. While research indicates that many of these contaminants are found in very low levels in American-farmed salmon, there are less controllable issues than these.
The open-net pens where salmon are raised are often exposed to other pollutants, waste, and chemicals from the surrounding ocean.
Despite strict rules, the aquaculture industry must also deal with persistent organic pollutants impacting salmon farms, from the breakdown of uneaten feed to organisms found among farmed fish such as sea lice.
Mercury & Other Trace Metals
Farmed salmon has been shown to contain small amounts of mercury, which can affect the nervous system in adults and brain development in a fetus or newborn. Other metals like lead, nickel, and cadmium are often present, but generally at lowered contaminant levels over those found in other animals.
It’s believed that the presence of trace metals and other contaminants found in farmed salmon stems from the fish meal and conditions of the surrounding aquaculture that's used in their raising. Wild fish eat a natural diet and are exposed to fewer trace metals than farmed fish.
Antibiotics in Farmed Salmon
As with many farming practices, fish farmers require antibiotics to maintain a healthy population amidst bacterial outbreaks. The most common ones used among farmed salmon are florfenicol and oxytetracycline.
Compared to other animals, antibiotics are used less often among salmon.
However, as with humans, any overuse of antibiotics in fish can build resistance to the effectiveness against bacteria. Studies over the last three decades have shown an increase in antibiotic drug resistance in both farmed salmon as well as humans.
Plus, as with any kind of waste runoff, the presence of antibiotics can create negative environmental factors.
Is Wild Salmon Worth The Extra Cost?
When you’re shopping for seafood online, wild-caught salmon is a very popular option. At Sea To Table, we catch wild Alaskan salmon in the open ocean via our local fishing partners. The catch is flash-frozen on deck, labeled with a “best-by” date, catch method, and location, and then shipped directly to your door.
Some might ask if it’s worth the extra cost versus buying farmed salmon at the store. The answer is a resounding, “Yes!” Our customers rave about the quality of our wild-caught salmon. You’re avoiding the contaminants, trace metals, and antibiotics that are part of farmed salmon. You’re getting the nutritional content, health benefits, and healthy fats that salmon is known for but in a more sustainable, responsible way.
But mainly, the taste, texture, and color of wild salmon are far superior to farm-raised. Whether you’re baking, grilling, or broiling it, buying wild-caught salmon online from Sea To Table pays off in a delicious culinary experience.
Conclusion
There’s a reason that salmon is so popular around the world: it has a great taste, is super-healthy, has fewer calories than many other foods, and works with so many ways of cooking. It’s no wonder that the demand has increased: between 2013 and 2023, the amount of salmon sold was up by a whopping 122 percent. Satisfying that appetite falls into two camps: either by purchasing farmed salmon or buying wild-caught salmon online.
When you want to add more fish to your diet, and you're debating between wild and farmed salmon, choose wild salmon.
While industry standards and practices for farm-raised salmon are overseen by various agencies, there are still some disadvantages to fish farming and farm-raised salmon versus wild-caught salmon. Farmed salmon frequently contain more contaminants and pollutants than wild-caught salmon. They’re routinely treated with antibiotics to combat infections among their population. Those fish farming practices can negatively impact the surrounding environment.
On the other hand, wild-caught salmon that’s responsibly caught in its native habitat (such as the waters of Alaska) provides you with a fish that has better color, texture, and taste than its farmed counterpart.
Buying your wild-caught salmon online from Sea to Table also supports local American fishermen and their communities.
You’ll get all the health benefits of salmon but enjoy a much more satisfying experience all around. When shopping for online seafood, choose wild-caught salmon from Sea To Table.
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