Ask around and you will find diehards on both sides, but the truth is, it’s not farm raised vs wild caught seafood, it’s responsible versus not.
At Fish Fixe, we believe there needs to be a balance of aquaculture and sustainable fishing practices to protect and preserve our natural resources and continue to feed a growing population.
What we’re facing right now is that global demand for seafood has outgrown what wild fisheries can produce, and it’s depleting our ocean’s resources. Aquaculture is a viable, exciting solution. Aquaculture was developed in part to avoid “fishing to the last fish,” and to protect and preserve our God-given natural resources. It can take the pressure off wild fisheries and help meet global demand, without sacrificing responsibility or sustainability.
So what is aquaculture or aquafarming? It’s the cultivation of fish, or other aquatic animals, in controlled aquatic environments.
Here are a few reasons to support aquaculture:
- Raising fish in a controlled environment means no microplastics, no PCBs, year-round consistency, and an ability to monitor our aquatic environments, especially the water quality, an incredibly crucial aspect of the health of the fish.
- Responsibly raised seafood can alleviate food insecurity and help meet the food demands of a growing population. As aquaculture continues to expand seafood production, more people can include seafood in their diets, improving nutrition and well-being.
- Aquaculture is a sustainable way of raising fish. According to NOAA.com, “Aquaculture, if done responsibly—as it is in the United States—is increasingly recognized as one of the most environmentally sustainable ways to produce food and protein.”
- Aquaculture helps diversity in seafood consumption. What’s consumption diversity? It’s introducing new species to consumers who may choose the same species – shrimp, tuna, salmon – over and over. Consumption diversity helps to alleviate pressure on the most sought after fish, and turn a spotlight on lesser known species that are just as good as the popular ones.
At Fish Fixe we are huge proponents of our team of aquaculture partners, all of which are certified by Best Aquaculture Practices and Aquaculture Stewardship Council, the two leading U.S. certifications. Having these certifications are top criteria for us when choosing partners.
Our farm raised offerings:
- Open ocean raised Norwegian Salmon, in the North Atlantic
- Open ocean raised Cobia, in the Caribbean
- Freshwater Rainbow Trout from the Idaho Rocky Mountains
Our wild caught products include Gulf Shrimp, Icelandic Haddock, Gulf Snapper, Gulf Black Drum, Alaskan Sockeye Salmon, Chesapeake Bay Catfish and more. We will continue to source the most premium, healthy and unaltered fish, whether that be wild or farmed.
We are not oblivious to the bad rap some aquaculture farms have earned. A large majority of imported products are mass produced, poorly fed, treated with antibiotics and raised in ponds with poor water quality. So we understand the skepticism that some consumers have about farmed raised seafood. Consumers need to be discerning and educated about where their fish come from.
Consumers should be on the lookout for seafood raised in the United States and carry the Best Aquaculture Practices and Aquaculture Stewardship Council certifications. You can feel confident you are eating responsibly raised fish, at the peak of quality when you purchase from farms carrying these certifications.
As insiders in the industry, we are fortunate to see the aquaculture tides turning and many young companies emerging as trailblazers in the space. Through technology, a dedication to the health of the species, and economic and social responsibility both our Cobia and Rainbow Trout companies are trailblazing a new way and we are very proud to serve the products that they produce.
If you’d like to shop our products, visit shop.fishfixe.com.