Most health experts agree that fish is a healthy and often delicious form of protein. As consumers, we need to be careful and keep in mind that not all fish is created equally, and where the fish comes from is a critical factor in making the decision to eat it.
As fish consumption and the world population increased, people began to farm fish, as opposed to catching it wild, to cut down on the costs associated with mass fishing. It’s becoming harder than ever to avoid farmed fish as the global production of farmed fish has more than tripled in the last 15 years – and is predicted to account for 39 per cent of all seafood.
So, what is it about farmed fish that makes it a potential issue for your health?
Outside of the fish not being able to swim free, to keep costs down and produce the best quality fish, aqua farmers rely on formulated feed, antibiotics, antifungals and other chemicals to sustain their “crop.” This changes the way fish are fed versus how they would eat in their natural environment.
According to Dr. Joseph Mercola, levels of omega-3 fatty acid, a significant health benefit of eating fish, can be reduced by up to 50 per cent in farmed salmon. Farmed fish are fed more grains, which results in fattier fish than wild salmon, but far less omega-3, and less protein.
The use of antibiotics in farmed fish is necessary. Having so many fish in a small contained area makes the spread of harmful diseases unavoidable. The tight confines, increased waste and uneaten food create the perfect storm for disease growth.
The fear with increased antibiotic use is that it creates germs and diseases that are antibiotic-resistant, which then leads to more usage. This cycle results in negative overall effects on the fish and their eventual biological lineage. According to Hansa Done from the Arizona State University’s Center for Environmental Security “…oxytetracycline could lead to spinal deformities in rainbow trout, if it’s fed to them during their growth stages.” Done points out, however, that more research needs to be done in this area.
Massive fish farms, particularly salmon farms, commonly need to deal with the issue of sea lice. According to Ben Greenfield, as most of these salmon farms are situated in the ocean near areas where wild salmon often pass by, there is the risk of sea lice moving into wild salmon populations and spreading.
When you add all this up, it becomes obvious that farmed fish can pose a significant threat to the environment, the fish and anyone who eats it. While it isn’t always easy, eating only wild-caught fish is by far the best way to go.
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Lorne Marr is a fitness enthusiast and blogger. Visit his site at
http://lornemarrfitafter45.ca