One of the fastest growing forms of food production in the world is known as industrial farm fishing. The way that this works is that the fish are essentially grown in farms to then be consumed by humans in restaurants and food stores all around the world. This may seem like a great idea in terms of having a quality supply of food, but it is not good for the major seafood fans out there. Farmed fish is a far cry from eating the real seafood caught locally.
Farmed Fish Is Not as Healthy
The first thing that you need to know about farmed fish is that it is simply not as healthy as locally caught fish from the ocean. One of the reasons that so many people eat fish is for all of the health benefits. The biggest health benefit of fish is arguably the omega-3 fatty acids. The omega-3 fats have been found to be extremely beneficial to overall heart health and are plentiful in normal fish. This is natural fish that has been freshly caught from local waters.
When you consume farmed fish, you lose a lot of the omega-3 benefits that you thought you were going to be able to enjoy. Researchers have found that farmed fish can have as much as 50 percent less omega-3 fatty acids when compared to locally caught fish from the ocean, a lake, or wherever it has been caught.
Losing Taste in Farmed Fish
Seafood experts will also tell you that they really can tell the difference from a taste perspective when comparing farmed fish to locally caught and fresh fish. When you consume a locally caught fresh fish from waters just down the street from the restaurant, you are going to be eating the most natural and freshest fish available. When you consume a piece of farmed fish, or even fish that was caught thousands of miles away, frozen and shipped to the restaurant, a lot of that taste is going to be lost. There is just something that is far less natural about the seafood and less satisfying when it is farmed versus fresh and natural.
Better for the Fish
Many in the farmed fish industry will state that they think they are helping wild fish by farming fish, but this is not the case at all. Researchers have found that fish truly can feel pain and stress just like other mammals can. For this reason the fact that we are raising fish to essentially be killed and cooked is unfathomable, especially when they will be able to stress over the inevitable prior.
Farmed fish may also be able to spread disease from their environment into the wild that could cause a lot of problems for wild fish. Just like we strive to limit diseases from spreading all over the world, we need to think about what farmed fish can do as well from this perspective.
Farmed fish is just not a good idea for a seafood fan or a fan of fish in general. Farmed fish is not something that you should be seeking out at restaurants. This is why we at the Julington Creek Fish Camp serve nothing but the best in fresh fish available. Our fish is locally caught on a daily basis and the turnaround time to your plate is minimal. This is what allows you to have the best seafood in Jacksonville.