Wild caught fish have been a major source of seafood for many years in most parts of the American diet. If you have been eating seafood, it’s more than likely that your fish came from an overfished area. Growing fish in the United States would eliminate the need for fish imports and also ensure that the fish we eat come from sustainable and ethical methods of farming. Fish farming would not only take care of the increasing demands for protein, but it would also save the environment and the wild fish stocks in the oceans.

Fish is a major source of protein around the world. Fishermen around the world depend on an income generated through fisheries and wild fish stock in the oceans and rivers that are often overfished. The recent demands for seafood and shortages of fish supply in the market have made the seafood price rise even higher. Aquaculture fish farming can be used to address this shortage of fish supply and has great prospects in meeting the demands, if done in sustainable methods. Fish farming can be one of the most profitable businesses to address global crisis for food and source of protein.

Salmon as a high quality fish

Salmon is very high in food value, rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, low in saturated fat, and high in protein. The demand for salmon has risen over 20% in the last decade. Aquaculture or farmed salmon can be raised in a pond, net-cage, or container systems. The open net-cage system is very popular among ocean fish farmers. The net cages are often large enough to raise thousands of fish in an area—as large as two football fields.

What they will eat

Salmons need a nutritious dry diet. The best food for salmon is the food made from natural ingredients in pallets. There is food available that is specially tailored to meet the requirements of salmon at every stage of their life cycle. The most common ingredients for a salmon diet are fish feed, fish oil, soy, and other plant proteins. The fish meal and oil are mainly made from smaller fish that are too small and boney for human consumption.

Currently fish feed manufacturers are producing food form natural ingredients that do not use other fish as feed. Instead, plant based feed is being usedas a sustainable feed method for fish. Since poultry products are now cheaper than fish, some of the poultry products are being used to feed salmon as a high protein feed source. Feed made from chicken bone, egg shells and chicken intestines is very popular among fish farmers in feeding fish.

Environmentally sustainable farming

Sea water is essential for salmon farming. Each salmon farm must operate in harmony with the nature. Many of the fish farmers have been blamed for putting off the ecological balance through the use of GMO, pesticides, and chemicals in the water. Fish raised with GMOs tend to grow faster and larger than fish grown in natural ways, so they become more competitive when left in the nature with the wild fish. If a fish farmer uses GMO, the fish can significantly impact the environment, especially if GMO fed and genetically engineered fish escape and compete with wild fish in nature.

Conservation of wild salmons

Salmon farmers can contribute to wild fish conservation by producing salmon in enclosed fish farms, and releasing pressure on wild fish stocks. Most of the ocean is already overfished, and if this trend continues, wild fish will either become extinct or become endangered very rapidly. We should allow wild fish species to grow and reproduce naturally in the ocean, increasing in number and recovering their population in the natural habitat. Every species in the ocean plays an important role in keeping the ecosystem alive and takes part in the natural bio-diversity.

Farmed salmon is rapidly becoming one of the most popular seafood in the United States. Salmon is delicious, protein rich, heart-healthy, rich in omega-3 fatty acids, and low in saturated fats. Eating salmon can make you healthier and smarter. We recommend that you eat some kind of seafood at least three times a week.

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Source: WorldWide Aquaculture