Plaudits for farmed salmon

Odd Grydeland

The committee’s report dealt with both issues of seafood sustainability and food safety, and its conclusions included the following statement:

“For commonly consumed fish species in the United States, such as bass, cod, trout, and salmon, farmed-raised fish have as much or more of the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA as the same species captured in the wild. In contrast, farmed low-trophic species, such as catfish and crawfish, have less than half the EPA and DHA per serving than wild caught, and these species have lower EPA and DHA regardless of source than does salmon. Farm-raised fish have higher total fat than wild caught. Recommended amounts of EPA and DHA can be obtained by consuming a variety of farm-raised fish, especially high-trophic species, such as salmon and trout.”

 Some of the report’s key findings:

• The U.S. population should be encouraged to eat a wide variety of seafood that can be wild caught or farmed, as they are nutrient dense foods that are uniquely rich sources of healthy fatty acids.

• It should be noted that low trophic fish such as catfish and crayfish have lower EPA and DHA levels than wild-caught.

• Nutrient profiles in popular low trophic level farmed species should be improved through feeding and processing systems that produce and preserve nutrients similar to those delivered by wild capture in the same species.

• Based on risk/benefit comparisons, either farmed or wild-caught seafood are appropriate choices to consume to meet current Dietary Guidelines for Americans for increased seafood consumption.

• Both wild and farmed seafood are major food sources available to support DGAC recommendations to regularly consume a variety of seafood.

• Responsible stewardship over environmental impact will be important as farmed seafood production expands.

• Availability of these important foods is critical for future generations of Americans to meet their needs for a healthy diet.

• Therefore, strong policy, research, and stewardship support are needed to increasingly improve the environmental sustainability of farmed seafood systems.

• From the standpoint of the dietary guidelines this expanded production needs to be largely in EPA and DHA rich species and supporting production of low-trophic level species of similar nutrient density as wild-caught.