Shannon Schafer, B.S., N.E. Certified Nutritionist

After the recent ban on commercial salmon fishing off the coast of Californian and Oregon, many consumers are questioning the sustainability of wild caught fish.  Record low numbers of salmon in the Sacramento River prompted the Pacific Fishery Management Council to take action to protect the area’s habitat.  Salmon consumption has dramatically increased over the last decade due increasing awareness of the health benefits of fatty fish and their nutrient density.

Rich in Omega-3 essential fatty acids, high quality fish can provide EPA and DHA necessary for proper brain and nervous system function, and the production of anti-inflammatory hormones.  Recent studies have confirmed Omega-3’s also have cardiovascular benefits and can help prevent heart disease.  They improve one's blood lipids, lowering cholesterol and tryiglycerides.  They are also essential in cell formation and visual function.  The key to reaping the benefits of Omega-3’s is finding healthy fish that are rich in these essential fatty acids, free of antibiotics, PCBs, heavy metals, and dioxins.

Wild fish are often thought to be nutritionally superior to farmed fish.  Feeding off of their natural habitat ensures higher Omega-3 content.  Farmed fish are fed processed pellets made of soy, corn, and small amounts of fishmeal.  The pellets do not nourish as well, resulting in lower Omega-3 content.  Lacking key nutrients, farmed salmon’s flesh often has a grayish hue.   Therefore, many of the fish are fed color additives to turn their flesh a more marketable pink.   If the food eaten can change the fishes’ color, it certainly can affect the taste.  The fish are starved for several days before harvest to improve flavor and reduce their oils.

Farmed fish are often marketed as “ocean-raised fish” because of the bad image they have recently received.  Their floating pens are placed in the ocean but are often overcrowded, accumulating feces.  The livestock are given antibiotics to ward off diseases and parasites.  Drugs and hormones are given to enhance growth and increase reproductive behavior.  Genetic engineering of seafood has become a reality in aquaculture.  There is significant danger that these fish may escape the farms and taint the wild stocks.

However, even wild fish have safety concerns.  According to the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), heavy tuna consumption in the U.S. exposes many Americans to mercury.   The NRDC attributes chlorine chemical plants, coal-fired power plants, and auto scrap recycling for the mercury that pollutes our seafood.  Over time the mercury settles on the beds of oceans, lakes, and rivers, poisoning the marine life’s food supply.  The bioaccumulation of mercury can cause neurological disorders, fetal damage, and impaired vision.  Other toxic compounds such as PCBs, dioxins, and pesticides have been found in our wild and farmed fish too.  All of these chemicals have been found in the San Francisco Bay area and eating local seafood is now highly cautioned by the California Environmental Protection Agency.

All of these factors lead to a consumer conundrum.  How do we get beneficial protein and Omega-3s without eating over fished wildlife and avoid carcinogens?    As a savvy consumer, we must research the source of fish similar to how we question the beef industry.  There are many innovative companies that are providing high quality fish, farmed and wild.  Vital Choice harvests sustainable wild fish from Alaska that is tested frequently for mercury and is certified by the Marine Stewardship Council and independent organizations like the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

Our local Monterey Aquarium (www.mbayaq.org) provides a detailed list of fish to avoid, such as Chilean Seabass, Atlantic Cod, imported King Crab, and Pacific Roughy.  There is even a “Seafood Watch” pocket guide that you can download providing the best choices (farmed and wild).  Making the “best choice” list of the 2008 West Coast guide was Alaskan wild salmon, Pacific halibut, and sardines.  Sardines are an excellent choice because of their small size.  The smaller and younger the fish, the less bioaccumulation of toxins.  This is especially important when purchasing larger species such as Halibut and Albacore Tuna.  Companies such as Vital Choice only offer these younger cleaner wild fish.

There are exciting environmental breakthroughs in Aquaculture too.  Companies like Kona Blue Water Farms are using open ocean agriculture hatch-to-harvest monitoring systems.  The company founded by a marine biologist, uses offshore pens, at least half a mile from shore and 200 ft deep.  They avoid endangered fish and only raise Kona Kampachi, a Hawaii yellowtail fish.  They harvest only to fulfill orders to restaurants such as French Laundry in Napa. Garrett Gruener, an investor in Kona Blue states, “We’re taking fish native to tropical regions and creating a new species that tastes good and has zero mercury.”  There is no genetic engineering, hormones, or preventative antibiotics used in the process.  Similar to buying beef or chicken, this is key to a quality Omega-3 rich fish.

When purchasing fish, inquire about the source of fish, and the practices used to ensure sustainability and minimum ecological impact.  You can look for the Safe Harbor Certification, which ensures low mercury levels.  All Safe Harbor Certified Seafood meets a much stricter standard than the 1 part per million FDA action level.  The Marine Stewardship Council (www.msc.org) also has a certification that guarantees the company used responsible practices and the product is not over fished.  The stamp can be found on products like the Whole Foods’ “Whole Catch” Wild Alaskan Salmon.  Since “local” fish are not an option in the S.F. bay area, rely on local community services such as the Monterey Bay Aquarium to stay up to date on sustainable seafood options.