Remember the '90 slogan "friends don't let friends drink and drive"?
Well in the fishing industry, we have our own saying "friends don't let friends eat farmed fish"
But why, what's the big deal?
Farmed fish can be labeled as "organic" and "sustainable" so it can't be that bad, right?
Wrong.
The fish farming industry is really good at spin, but I'm just gonna give it to you straight because we're friends:
Chemicals, Antibiotics and Pollution:
- Farmed salmon are treated with delousing chemicals, pesticides, drugs, and formaldehyde, contributing to environmental pollution.
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Many salmon farmers use large volumes of antibiotics in production, contributing to the rise of antibiotic-resistant strains.
- Unfiltered waste, including excrement, microplastics, and heavy metals, is discarded in quantities lethal to marine life, creating dead zones.
Ecological Threats:
- Escaped farmed salmon transmit parasites and diseases, posing a significant threat through crossbreeding with native wild species.
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The farmed salmon industry is expanding rapidly, relocating farms to some of the world's most pristine waters. *Thank goodness there's no fish farming allowed in Alaska!
Human Health Concerns:
- Toxins from these treatments often accumulate in the flesh of farmed salmon, posing health risks to those who consume them.
- Studies have indicated higher levels of saturated fat in farm-raised salmon due to their altered diet.
And if you still have an appetite after all that, I have to tell you, farmed fish just don't taste as good as wild either.
If you've been eating farmed fish, it's ok, we can still be friends.
I'll just invite you to try wild so you can know the difference.
When you know better, you do better.
