To me, this blanket statement says that, although one may have good intentions regarding personal and ecological health, that he or she is ignorant towards the real role of aquaculture in the world today. While yes....choosing sustainable wild-caught seafood at the supermarket is a very good way to help protect certain species from overfishing; aquaculture has become pertinent in the world seafood trade, supplementary to the wild fishing industry.
The NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service recently came out with a list of 10 common misconceptions about marine aquaculture.
Here I have copied and pasted the "10 Myths about Aquaculture" from the NOAA website and added some of my own two cents beneath each number (in black text).
The U.S. doesn’t need aquaculture. |
"There are so many compelling reasons to develop domestic sources of farmed seafood. For one, it’s the best thing we can do to minimize our environmental seafood-related footprint. Second, it could guarantee a safe supply of healthy seafood for decades to come. Finally, domestic aquaculture creates jobs at home and supports vibrant coastal communities and working waterfronts. The U.S. currently imports 91 percent of its seafood, half of which comes from aquaculture. Were we to eliminate aquaculture from the seafood equation, global fisheries could not make up for current demand, let alone future needs."
I have to laugh when I hear people boasting about only buying 'wild-caught' salmon. They have no idea that the majority of 'wild-caught' Pacific and Alaskan salmon are actually reared and raised to the 'fry' stage in aquaculture hatcheries. Hence the 'wild-caught' label. The fishing pressures and demand for salmon are so great that it has become a standard practice to culture and release fish into the wild to grow to maturity. This practice has considerably helped stabilize populations and is the primary reason why Pacific salmon stocks are not severely depleted.
 | Aquaculture uses more wild fish than it produces. |
"Globally, aquaculture uses less – about half a metric ton of wild whole fish goes into one metric ton of farmed seafood. Fishmeal and fish oil use in aquaculture is falling as researchers find other sources (such as algae and fish trimmings) that provide the same 40 essential nutrients needed by all animals including vitamins, dietary minerals, fatty acids, and amino acids. All farm animals need to be fed, but farmed fish are many times more efficient at converting feed into meat than other farmed animals such as cows and pigs."
During my short time at the University of Connecticut, I crossed paths with several professors and graduate students that were actively researching alternatives to traditional fishmeal used in aquaculture. I had the chance to chat with one PhD candidate that was researching the use of insects as fish feed to reduce the pressures of harvesting small Clupeiform fishes (anchovy, herring, sardines, shad, etc.) to feed the aquaculture industry.
 | Farmed fish isn’t safe to eat. |
"Farmed seafood is both safe and healthy to eat – studies have shown this time and time again. Both the diets and environments of farmed seafood are monitored throughout the life of the animal. Because of their controlled diet, the heart-healthy long chain omega-three fatty acids and other nutrients in farmed seafood have levels similar to wild. In the U.S., seafood farmers follow the same food safety guidelines as other seafood producers and land farmers, as well as undergo regular inspections. Safety-related regulations address siting, what the animals are fed, and processing, to name just a few."
The FDA continues to update their seafood health "Fish and Fisheries Products Hazards and Controls Guide." Additionally, seafood farmers are subject to intense inspections by various government agencies (FDA, EPA, USDA, and NOAA) to ensure product quality and processing methods. Most farmed fish is very good for you! There have been past studies that showed that farmed fish did not possess the same levels of nutrients as wild-caught fish, but due to aquaculture research and development, this is generally not the case.
"Modern technologies, Best Management Practices, and strong regulation and monitoring have led to significantly improved sustainability in aquaculture."
 | Farmed fish are contaminated. |
"No farmed fish are on any “avoid” list due to mercury or other pollutants. These harmful compounds enter and concentrate in organisms largely through what they eat. The FDA and state Departments of Agriculture conduct inspections as well as collect and analyze feed and fish samples to ensure that feeds and the fish that consume them meet strict requirements. Formulated feed ingredients used in aquaculture are regularly monitored to avoid possible contamination."
I personally feel that it is ludicrous how people actively avoid farm-raised fish because they believe it is somehow more contaminated than wild fish. Yes, there are various approved medicines and chemicals that are used in fish farms to prevent disease and parasites. The key thing to note, however, is that these products have all been extensively researched and approved because they have no effect on humans when used in the farming process. Most farmed fish are grown in a controlled environment....there is absolutely nothing controlled about eating fish contaminated with bio-accumulated mercury or PCBs (i.e. any large pelagic fish such as tuna, shark, swordfish, and even salmon). Humans continually dump hazardous chemicals and pollutants into the oceans and then turn around and use it as one of our main food sources! Excuse my foul analogy, but seems to me like defecating where you eat. Be mindful that the farm-raised fish, is almost certainly less 'contaminated' than wild fish sold at the supermarket.
 | Farmed salmon is full of harmful “color-added” dyes. |
"You’ve seen it at the fish market: farmed salmon with ‘color-added.’ The pigment that gives all salmon their distinctive coloration isn’t harmful at all—in fact, it’s available in concentrated form as diet supplements at your local health food store. In the wild, salmon eat krill and other tiny shellfish that contain natural pigments called carotenoids, which are powerful antioxidants and precursors of vitamin A. Carotenoids give salmon flesh its distinctive pigment (although the color varies by species). Farmed salmon are supplemented with carotenoids that are identical to the pigment that salmon consume in the wild. Both natural and synthetic carotenoids are processed and absorbed by wild and farmed fish in exactly the same manner."
 | Farmed fish are full of harmful antibiotics. |
"Antibiotic use in aquaculture has all but disappeared in the U.S., due to better husbandry and vaccines that have been developed for the major bacterial diseases. While good management practices and vaccines alone are usually enough to prevent or control disease, a farmer may, in consultation with a licensed veterinarian, use a limited number of aquatic animal drugs including antibiotics, in the case where they have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat specific conditions. The use of antibiotics for non-therapeutic purposes in aquaculture is prohibited by law."
Nothing really to add here, I think NOAA did a splendid job of clarifying these issues!
 | Fish waste from netpen aquaculture harms the ecosystem. |
"Nutrient discharge from fish farming operations is organic and comes from two sources – uneaten feed and fish poop! Both of these are biodegradable and readily used by most aquatic ecosystems. In the U.S., decades of experience have led to net-pen aquaculture in balance with the ecosystem. This comes from effective management plans, proper siting, and regulatory regimes that ensure minimum impacts to the environment."
There are definitely cases where aquaculture and pens have degraded water quality by adding excessive nutrients into the water column. However, research in 'Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture' has revolutionized the farming industry and allows for the excess nutrients dispelled from finfish to be taken up and used by bivalve or seaweeds that are also grown for human consumption! Check it out: http://www.cimtan.ca/about_us and here!!!
 | Aquaculture causes diseases in wild fish. |
"Disease transfer in shellfish has virtually never happened and it is extremely rare with fishfish. Pathogens are a fact of life with all forms of animal production, but their presence does not normally cause disease. The environment and host have to be in a distressed state for disease to take hold. In the wild, disease is often controlled by predators picking off the sick individuals of the population, movement to better conditions, and other ecological interactions. On farms, disease is kept at bay by vaccination, good nutrition, using disease-free fingerlings, biosecurity, and husbandry practices that minimize stress in farmed fish. The use of theraputants is a last resort."
 | Farmed salmon are full of sea lice. |
"The parasite of greatest concern to salmon farmers is sea lice. Historically, sea lice occasionally have been a problem for farmed salmon in the State of Maine – where they exist naturally in the wild. In contrast, sea lice are not a problem for Washington State, where the water is less saline. Maine has made great strides in minimizing the incidence of sea lice by adopting an integrated pest management strategy similar to that used by organic farmers. This strategy includes reducing stocking density, bay-wide coordination among farms, early and coordinated treatments, and letting sites lie fallow between harvests."
 | Farmed fish and shellfish doesn’t taste as good. |
"Taste is a matter of personal preference. In 2011, people in the U.S. ate over one billion pounds of shrimp and the majority of that is farmed – people must like it! In a recent survey , farmed salmon was preferred over wild salmon by Washington, DC area chefs. Most wild and farmed salmon are different species so you would expect them to taste different just as turkey does not taste like chicken. Some people prefer the fishier taste of wild salmon and many prefer the milder taste of farmed. Luckily, both are very good for you!"
"Aquaculture also is a tool for restoration. The white abalone was the first marine invertebrate to be listed as endangered and to receive federal protection under the Endangered Species Act"
Aquaculture is continuing to evolve! With the growing human population, aquaculture may be one of the only ways to supply the seafood demand while ensuring that natural populations are not fished to extinction. 'Farm raised' is not always bad! Ecologically responsible aquaculture facilities operate with great concern for the environment and under strict fish-farming quality standards. Please make informed decisions on which choices of fish you buy at the supermarket! It really does matter :)
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