7 Things Everyone Should Know About Farmed Fish

 If you eat seafood, chances are it is from a fish farm. Fish farming is a popular way to supply the growing world demand. Farmed fish accounts for about half of all fish consumed in the United States. Is fish farming the solution to the Earth's food problems? Are marine farms able to satisfy the seafood needs of three billion people all over the world?

Here are some details about aquaculture and the long-term impacts it has on people, fish, and other animals. Although some fish farms may use sustainable practices, this is not always true. This industry is often referred to as a leader in food production. You should be aware of these seven concerns about farmed fish.

1. Wild fish might not be as nutritious as those caught in a farm.

This is a paradox that frustrates those who eat fish to improve their health. The nutritional benefits of fish can vary depending on how the fish is fed. For example, omega-3 fatty acid. Fish that are wild get their omega-3's through marine lipids (or oils). However, fish raised for their omega-3's are often fed corn or soy and other vegetable oils, which contain very little to no omega-3.

This feed can cause fish to consume higher amounts of saturated fats, and a lower ratio of omega-6 to Omega-3. This is not as desirable as the opposite.

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2. Wild species are also affected by farmed fishing.

Some farmed fish can survive on corn and soy diets, but others must eat lots of fish. For every pound of bodyweight, tuna and salmon need to consume five pounds of fish. This means that fish like anchovies, herring, and other prey are being fished to the point of extinction in order to feed world's fish farms.

Oceana says that they have caught all the large fish and are now going after their food. The non-profit Oceana blames aquaculture's voracious appetite for the decline in whales, dolphins and sea lions.

3. Fish can feel pain or stress.

The latest research has shown that fish can feel pain and stress, contrary to what many anglers believe. Fish raised for their meat are often subject to stress, such as hyper-confinement or exhausting harvesting methods. Because fish can experience pain and stress, improved welfare practices for farmed fish have been required.

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4. Diseases can be spread from fish raised in farms to wild populations.

Fish that are conventionally farmed are often packed as tightly in their pen or net as they are in their purses. These conditions can lead to parasites and diseases that often spread from the farm to wild fish populations. Sea lice infestations can cause mass killings of young salmon off Canada's Pacific coast. This increases their chances of dying by 73%.

The damage doesn't stop there. Eagles and bears, orcas and other predators all depend on salmon to survive. These species also suffer from a decline in wild salmon numbers.

5. Local ecosystems can also be affected by fish farms.

To control disease and parasite spread, antibiotics and other chemicals could be used on fish farms. One study showed that sea lice drugs kill a wide range of non-target marine insects and can travel up to half a kilometer before reaching the ocean. They also persist in the water for hours.

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6. Farmed fish are trying to escape their unpleasant conditions, and who can blame them?

Each year, more than two million runaway salmon escape to the wild in the North Atlantic region. This means that approximately 20% of the supposedly wild salmon found in the North Atlantic region are farmed. However, this data was published in 1999. The wild population is affected by escapees who cross breed with wild fish to compromise the gene pool. For example, embryonic hybrid salmon are less viable than wild salmon.

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7. The Jevons Paradox is available.

Contrary to popular belief, this theory states that production methods become more efficient and the demand for resources increases. As aquaculture improves fish production efficiency, fish prices will rise.

This theory suggests that fish farms could actually increase fishing, which could be harmful to wild populations. The net result is that fish farming could increase the pressure on wild populations around the globe, which are already under severe threat.

What now?

It is a complicated story about the sustainability of fish farms. Fish farms are still a controversial topic due to higher rates of disease and chemical use waste. These examples of fish farming harms are supported by evidence but they do not apply to every fish farm. Some farmed fish can be more sustainably and healthier than their wild counterparts.

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