The question of which is better, farm or wild fish: Caught

We are constantly confronted with messages telling us as consumers to buy either farm raised or wild salmon, and have most likely heard that one is better than the other.  Fish provide a great source of the world's population with protein rich meat.  With the world's population constantly growing, the demand for the supply of fish is increasing as well.  This leaves a trend of dwindling fish populations, which creates severe struggle for fish species to survive the growing demand of more fish to be consumed.  There are pros and cons to both sides of farm and wild fish.  With this information, you can create a choice of your own, and decide whether to buy wild or farm raised salmon.

    Farm Raised              

• Provides important food supply
• Helps take pressure off wild stocks             
• Are less expensive for the consumer
• Lower lever of omega-3
• Exposed to more pesticides/antibiotics resulting in a grey flesh color, or are dyed pink
• Pollutes immediate environment
• Higher survival rate from egg to adult

   Wild Caught

• Increased demand of fish, equals decreased population
• Higher levels omega-3
• Pink flesh from diet of pink krill
• Lower survival rate from egg to adult
• Higher levels of protein 

The thought of fish farms were to help out on the wild fish population.  It seems they have a long way to go, to get where they need to be.  The strain from fishing has not been taken away even with the fishing farms being added to the equation.  Maybe new ways of feeding the fish in farms can help produce a healthier fish, that is just as nutritious as it's wild relative.   there are approximately over 5 billion salmon released annually to help increasing populations.  However, these salmon coming from the hatcheries are competitive and larger in size that the natural born wild salmon, which could be a problem.  Organizations are helping to protect the wild salmon and the ecosystem they are involved in. 

http://www.wildsalmoncenter.org/