By Seared Lightly
Air freight and aquaculture have combined to furnish a wider array of fresh
seafood at retail and restaurant outlets than ever before. Nutrition experts
encourage us to take advantage of this situation, but there are guidelines for
our fishy indulgence. Marine scientists at Oregon State University have
published a species list identifying the best and worst selections on the market in terms of both human health and seafood sustainability.
Salmon is our Pacific Northwest icon. It ranks first among all species in
consumption, but its popularity, availability and pricing have been stimulated
by aquaculture. The Norwegians created the successful salmon farming efforts
now concentrated in Chile and British Columbia and producing a harvest that
feeds the world. Farmed salmon made up just 2% of the world salmon supply in 1980, by 2004 it was 60%. However, the salmon farms in British Columbia
(which produced 145.4 million pounds in 2003) are now closely monitored by Canadian authorities after research has proven that pollution of the formerly
pristine waters of inlet pen sites poses dangers to both humans and wild
salmon. The economic impact on Northwest fishing communities dependent
upon wild salmon fishing cannot be overstated.
Farmed salmon eat an unnatural diet and are treated with antibiotics and pesticides to combat disease outbreaks in their packed pens. Aquaculturists have found that the Atlantic salmon species is the most adaptable for farming, yet its taste quality is far removed from our wild stocks.
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http://oregonmag.com/SearedSeafood1106.html