By: Mary Comerford, CSUN Dietetic Intern Cohort 2022-2023  

When we think about buying fish, we don’t usually tend to think further about where they come from. Fish come from the ocean, right? Well actually, to accommodate the world’s growing population, fish can be sourced directly from the ocean or sourced from fish farms across the globe, through a process known as aquaculture.¹ In order to understand the pros and cons of each source, it’s of key importance to further explore the differences in health benefits, sustainability and cost differences.

Although it might already sound obvious, wild-caught fish are caught by fishermen in bodies of water like oceans, rivers and lakes. Because these fish are found in their natural habitats, they eat the food that’s available to them in their environment, offering a variety of organisms that farm-raised fish don’t have the same access to in their controlled environments.² Farm-raised fish are commercially produced and raised in similar environments of lakes, rivers and oceans or even large tanks. Because these fish are meant to be bred and sold, they are able to be cheaper and easily accessible to most shoppers.² It’s a common misconception that farm-raised fish are lower quality than wild-caught; but for the most part, the quality of diet in fish is the main concern for determining the quality of fish.  

In some cases, farm-raised fish require extra steps in order to mimic wild-caught fish.² For example, wild-caught salmon are able to consume krill in their diet, giving them the natural pink color from the red algae, while farm-raised fish are usually gray from the limited diet they consume.² To combat this, farmers will include food coloring in the diet that is given to farm-raised salmon to give them the pink color we naturally think of when we think of salmon.² This also addresses the misconception that the color of the fish does not directly correlate with quality but rather the diet the fish is consuming. Another major difference to note is that because farm-raised fish grow up in a controlled environment, they also become more susceptible to infections or diseases and require antibiotics.³ These antibiotics are not ideal for human consumption but considered safe to consume⁴. To avoid consumption of these antibiotics, it is ideal to purchase wild-caught fish at the store. Wild-caught fish also have the benefit of less risk for developing these diseases or infection being out in the wild³. Both farm-raised and wild-caught fish offer their own varieties of health benefits. As previously discussed, wild-caught fish contain more trace minerals from the ocean and contain higher nutritional value due to the wider range of nutrients they are able to consume in the wild. On the other hand, farm-raised fish usually consume the same diet everyday.² Some minerals and nutrients you can find in wild-caught fish include minerals such as iron, iodine, zinc, magnesium and nutrients such as calcium and phosphorus.⁵ There is an exception in which the nutritional quality of farm-raised fish surpasses that of wild-caught fish. In the case of salmon, farm-raised salmon have a higher fat content, offering more omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids.³ These important fatty acids are needed in our diet to promote inflammatory responses and regulate homeostasis throughout the body such as blood pressure.⁶ Wild-caught fish need to fend for their own food in the wild, requiring great distances of swimming that tends to make them leaner compared to their farmed counterparts.² Speaking to a Registered Dietitian at the MMC Wellness Clinic can be a great way to discuss consuming fish as a primary protein in your diet and look at the variety of fatty or lean fish options available that can best cater to your health needs. When it comes to the overall freshness of either farm-raised or wild-caught, the most important thing to keep in mind is the proper handling and distribution of these fish from the moment they are harvested.² As long as fish are properly handled, freshness should not be compromised in either wild caught or farm-raised. Some ways to identify fresh fish include avoiding fish with ice crystals, as this indicates that the fish was once thawed and refrozen or smelling the fish to make sure there is no strange odor ².  

The cost disparity between wild-caught and farm-raised salmon largely depends on accessibility and availability. More often than not, farm-raised fish tend to be more cost friendly than wild-caught³. While farm-raised fish are raised in order to be sold in the market, wild-caught fishing is less predictable and depends on many other seasonal and environmental factors including harmful algae blooms or overgrowth of algae that disrupts the environment or spawning cycles when fish reproduce². When discussing the impact on our environment, both wild-caught and farm-raised fishing methods have raised concerns. While overfishing in the wild has endangered fish species and affected ecosystems such as the coral reefs, pollutants and disruptions to the natural habitat from farm-raised fish have also brought forth ongoing concerns⁷. The best way to support ethical harvesting of fish is to ask your local grocery stores, restaurants or farmers for information about the fish they sell². Farm-raised tilapia, salmon, arctic char, and catfish are all great options when thinking of ways to consume fish more responsibly⁸. Overall, always check to see where your fish is sourced from. Farm-raised fish under sustainable and green practices help to feed and meet the demands of fish for the growing population, while wild-caught fish tend to offer higher nutritional value for a higher cost³. There is no right or wrong answer when it comes to purchasing fish, but understanding where your food comes from and choosing reputable sources whether dining out or eating at home can improve responsibility as a buyer and consumer.  

References

1. U.S. Aquaculture. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. U.S. Department of Commerce. (2022). https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/aquaculture/us-aquaculture . Accessed February 9, 2023.  
2. What’s the Difference Between Farm-Raised and Wild-Caught Fish? USS nemo. (2022)  https://ussnemorestaurant.com/whats-difference-farm-raised-wild-caught-fish/ . Accessed February 9, 2023.  
3. Kendall Reagan Nutrition Center. Wild caught vs. farm raised seafood. Colorado State University. (2018). https://chhs.source.colostate.edu/wild-caught-vs-farm-raised-seafood/. Accessed February 12, 2023.  
4. Human health risks: | human health risks. Center for Food Safety. https://www.centerforfoodsafety.org/issues/312/aquaculture/human-health-risks. Accessed March 6, 2023.  
5. Health benefits of fish. Washington State Department of Health. https://doh.wa.gov/community-and-environment/food/fish/health-benefits. Accessed March 6, 2023.  
6. Zaneveld JR, Burkepile DE, Shantz AA, Pritchard CE, Mcminds R, et al. Overfishing and nutrient pollution interact with temperature to disrupt coral reefs down to microbial scales. Nature Communications. (2016). (7):11833. doi: 10.1038/ncomms11833. Accessed February 12, 2023.  
7. Food Facts for Healthy Choices. The importance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Eufic. https://www.eufic.org/en/whats-in-food/article/the-importance-of-omega-3-and-omega-6-fatty-acids. Accessed March 6, 2023.  
8. K. Julie. The Most Responsibly Farmed Fish to Eat. The Healthy Fish. 2019. https://thehealthyfish.com/sustainable-farmed-fish-eat/ . Accessed February 12, 2023.