Farmed Fish vs. Wild Fish

Everyone has heard we should eat more fish to improve our health, but what about farmed fish vs. wild fish? It turns out that there can be a big difference between the two.

Studies comparing the two have looked largely at salmon, because it is one of the best fish for healthy omega 3 fats and a favorite to eat. While studies have found a higher amount of various fats in farmed fish, the fish actually have a lower concentration of healthy omega 3 fats than wild salmon. That means farmed fish tend to have a higher concentration of inflammatory omega 6 fats that we should be avoiding.

What are farmed fish and why are they fatter?

As an alternative to fishing the oceans, lakes, rivers, etc. for wild fish, companies raise their own fish in man-made ponds or confined nets in natural bodies of water. Large operations can raise up to 1 million fish at once. It can get a little bit crowded in there, which is one reason why the fish end up fatter - no wide ocean to roam.

Problems can occur with overcrowding,just like when you stick too many of any animal in a confined space (think cattle feedlots or factory farming chickens). There are increased issues with excess waste and spreading disease, leading to antibiotic use (sound familiar?) and pesticide use (for sea lice and other parasites). Residues of these and other chemicals have been found in significantly higher concentrations in farmed fish.

The darker side of farmed fish

While some fish farmers use healthier, more sustainable methods to raise their fish without chemicals or reduced crowding, others take shortcuts to keep costs low. Some questionable practices:

• feeding chemicals to make gray farmed salmon flesh look more like pink wild salmon
• feeding soy and corn or oils as a cheap alternative to real fish food
• contaminating fish with copper sulfate to prevent algae growth on nets

Watch the movie above for an interesting look at farmed vs. wild salmon in Canada. We recommend choosing wild caught fish when possible. If eating farmed fish, try to choose a source that focuses on raising healthy fish with sustainable methods and keep it limited (and take an extra dose of fish oil).