Many people are concerned about the potential adverse health effects of eating farmed salmon; Studies have shown that farmed salmon can contain large amounts of toxic chemicals that, if ingested over a long period of time, can be harmful to health. Here we look at the facts. Farmed salmon, unlike wild Alaskan salmon, is farmed and raised indoors. They contain more fat than wild salmon, which means that their total omega-3 fatty acid content is similar to that of wild fish; the difference, however, is that that extra grease is contaminated with PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) and more than 100 other contaminants, including toxic pesticides. Those who eat farmed salmon on a regular basis may be risking their health by exceeding government limits for these types of contaminants. Potential dangers include fetal brain damage, immune system damage, and cancer.

Farmed salmon accounted for about 22% of all retail seafood sales; many consumers eat salmon for its cardiovascular benefits. What they don’t know is that farmed salmon contains high amounts of PCBs. PCBs are known to cause cancer and were actually banned in the United States in 1976. Farmed salmon have been shown to accumulate dangerous amounts of PCBs due to the fishmeal they are fed.

In addition, salmon farms are breeding grounds for parasitic sea lice, which infect young salmon and feed on their blood and scales. In fish farms, a high concentration of fish is kept in a small, confined area, increasing the growth of sea lice to abnormally high numbers. This also puts wild salmon at risk, as these sea lice are likely to escape and infect wild fish. Also, treating sea lice with chemicals can be harmful to other marine creatures and may not even reduce lice levels enough to protect wild Alaskan salmon.

Wild Alaskan salmon feed on ocean fish, which are lower in contaminants and fat. They are much healthier than their cultivated counterparts, which need to be eaten only once a month, if at all. Wild-caught fish are not only healthier for humans, but they are also better for the environment. The next time you choose to eat salmon, go for wild Alaskan salmon.