salmon, sockeye salmon

Mitzki5
Mitzki5 Posts: 482 Member
edited November 14 in Food and Nutrition
Anyone know if most sockeye salmon is farmed or not? I love Atlantic Salmon but I have read that most is farmed and is actually bad for you compared to wild caught salmon. The places online to buy wild caught Atlantic salmon is very expensive. Looking for the health benefit without the huge extra cost.

Replies

  • lishie_rebooted
    lishie_rebooted Posts: 2,973 Member
    Its labeled at the grocery store.
    Ive seen both farmed and wild caught of pretty much everything at the seafood counter
  • epido
    epido Posts: 353 Member
    From my own experience, wild caught is more expensive than farm raised. Like the previous poster mentioned, every time I have ever bought it, it is always labeled as one or the other in the store. I just think wild caught tastes better, so always spend the extra money for it. That's just me though.
  • FatFreeFrolicking
    FatFreeFrolicking Posts: 4,252 Member
    Not quite sure where you read that but farmed salmon isn't bad for you.

    http://www.doh.wa.gov/CommunityandEnvironment/Food/Fish/FarmedSalmon
  • clotho
    clotho Posts: 29 Member
    The research I have seen says that sockeye is always wild because they have been unable to farm them yet. Sockeye should be labeled as pacific/Alaskan and wild. It will be frozen because they do not run at this time of the the year. I feel super lucky to live in the Pacific Northwest so I get Sockeye for $4.99/lb on a regular basis.
  • FatFreeFrolicking
    FatFreeFrolicking Posts: 4,252 Member
    clotho wrote: »
    The research I have seen says that sockeye is always wild because they have been unable to farm them yet. Sockeye should be labeled as pacific/Alaskan and wild. It will be frozen because they do not run at this time of the the year. I feel super lucky to live in the Pacific Northwest so I get Sockeye for $4.99/lb on a regular basis.

    Lucky! The sockeye I bought today was $17.99/lb.
  • SomeGirlSomewhere
    SomeGirlSomewhere Posts: 937 Member
    Sockeye salmon is significantly lower in calories than Atlantic Salmon. It has 131 calories per 100 grams compared with 208 calories per 100 grams of the Atlantic. Source: USDA
  • steeliebob
    steeliebob Posts: 22 Member
    Hey, finally a subject that I am an official "expert" on :)

    Pacific salmon have not done well in farming situations, not the case with Atlantics. Sockeye or Red salmon are especially tough in such an environment because the majority of their natural diet are plankton / krill / other small crustacaens whereas other salmon species are more predatory and have a much more varied diet.

    So, essentially all sockeye all wild-caught (not farmed).

    But not all sockeye are WILD ... some are born naturally in the streams and are of wild-origin, many hundreds of millions more are born in a hatchery and then planted in streams as "fry" to supplement commercial fisheries as they return as adults. These, technically, are hatchery fish, but you'll never see them labeled as such in the marketplace.
  • Hearts_2015
    Hearts_2015 Posts: 12,031 Member
    edited March 2015

    clotho wrote: »
    The research I have seen says that sockeye is always wild because they have been unable to farm them yet. Sockeye should be labeled as pacific/Alaskan and wild. It will be frozen because they do not run at this time of the the year. I feel super lucky to live in the Pacific Northwest so I get Sockeye for $4.99/lb on a regular basis.

    Yes, absolutely super lucky indeed! ;) I'm in a very land locked area in the Country (smack dab in the Midwest) so yes the price you shared is wonderful and I bet the taste is spectacular. I've not had much chance to be around much fresh fish though I did live in MD/VA area for a time and went crabbing. OMG... beyond awesome.

    Loving this thread, learning a lot. I'm going to take a look at that link that was shared above but to me I think of farm raised as tight quarters, barely any room much like chickens that have no time outdoors and are simply squished against one another. I personally wouldn't consider that healthy in my mind if I had a choice to eat a food treated more humanely. But..haven't read the article yet. :)

    I know for some seafood it's suggested to eat the farm raised over the wild caught... I have much to learn about fish/seafood. :#
  • FatFreeFrolicking
    FatFreeFrolicking Posts: 4,252 Member
    SomeGirlSomewhere wrote: »
    Sockeye salmon is significantly lower in calories than Atlantic Salmon. It has 131 calories per 100 grams compared with 208 calories per 100 grams of the Atlantic. Source: USDA

    Sockeye is less fatty than Atlantic :)
  • Hearts_2015
    Hearts_2015 Posts: 12,031 Member
    FatFreeFrolicking wrote: »
    clotho wrote: »
    The research I have seen says that sockeye is always wild because they have been unable to farm them yet. Sockeye should be labeled as pacific/Alaskan and wild. It will be frozen because they do not run at this time of the the year. I feel super lucky to live in the Pacific Northwest so I get Sockeye for $4.99/lb on a regular basis.

    Lucky! The sockeye I bought today was $17.99/lb.

    What area do you live in for comparison if you don't mind my asking? :)
  • lishie_rebooted
    lishie_rebooted Posts: 2,973 Member
    Hearts_2015 wrote: »
    clotho wrote: »
    The research I have seen says that sockeye is always wild because they have been unable to farm them yet. Sockeye should be labeled as pacific/Alaskan and wild. It will be frozen because they do not run at this time of the the year. I feel super lucky to live in the Pacific Northwest so I get Sockeye for $4.99/lb on a regular basis.

    Yes, absolutely super lucky indeed! ;) I'm in a very land locked area in the Country (smack dab in the Midwest) so yes the price you shared is wonderful and I bet the taste is spectacular. I've not had much chance to be around much fresh fish though I did live in MD/VA area for a time and went crabbing. OMG... beyond awesome.

    Loving this thread, learning a lot. I'm going to take a look at that link that was shared above but to me I think of farm raised as tight quarters, barely any room much like chickens that have no time outdoors and are simply squished against one another. I personally wouldn't consider that healthy in my mind if I had a choice to eat a food treated more humanely. But..haven't read the article yet. :)

    I know for some seafood it's suggested to eat the farm raised over the wild caught... I have much to learn about fish/seafood. :#

    Since you're landlocked, I'd buy the frozen at sea fish and thaw yourself if possible so it tastes better.
  • FatFreeFrolicking
    FatFreeFrolicking Posts: 4,252 Member
    Hearts_2015 wrote: »
    FatFreeFrolicking wrote: »
    clotho wrote: »
    The research I have seen says that sockeye is always wild because they have been unable to farm them yet. Sockeye should be labeled as pacific/Alaskan and wild. It will be frozen because they do not run at this time of the the year. I feel super lucky to live in the Pacific Northwest so I get Sockeye for $4.99/lb on a regular basis.

    Lucky! The sockeye I bought today was $17.99/lb.

    What area do you live in for comparison if you don't mind my asking? :)

    Good ole expensive Connecticut!
  • Hearts_2015
    Hearts_2015 Posts: 12,031 Member
    lishie_rebooted wrote: »
    Hearts_2015 wrote: »
    clotho wrote: »
    The research I have seen says that sockeye is always wild because they have been unable to farm them yet. Sockeye should be labeled as pacific/Alaskan and wild. It will be frozen because they do not run at this time of the the year. I feel super lucky to live in the Pacific Northwest so I get Sockeye for $4.99/lb on a regular basis.

    Yes, absolutely super lucky indeed! ;) I'm in a very land locked area in the Country (smack dab in the Midwest) so yes the price you shared is wonderful and I bet the taste is spectacular. I've not had much chance to be around much fresh fish though I did live in MD/VA area for a time and went crabbing. OMG... beyond awesome.

    Loving this thread, learning a lot. I'm going to take a look at that link that was shared above but to me I think of farm raised as tight quarters, barely any room much like chickens that have no time outdoors and are simply squished against one another. I personally wouldn't consider that healthy in my mind if I had a choice to eat a food treated more humanely. But..haven't read the article yet. :)

    I know for some seafood it's suggested to eat the farm raised over the wild caught... I have much to learn about fish/seafood. :#

    Since you're landlocked, I'd buy the frozen at sea fish and thaw yourself if possible so it tastes better.

    Thanks for the suggestion :)
  • Charliegottheruns
    Charliegottheruns Posts: 286 Member
    steeliebob wrote: »
    Hey, finally a subject that I am an official "expert" on :)

    Pacific salmon have not done well in farming situations, not the case with Atlantics. Sockeye or Red salmon are especially tough in such an environment because the majority of their natural diet are plankton / krill / other small crustacaens whereas other salmon species are more predatory and have a much more varied diet.

    So, essentially all sockeye all wild-caught (not farmed).

    But not all sockeye are WILD ... some are born naturally in the streams and are of wild-origin, many hundreds of millions more are born in a hatchery and then planted in streams as "fry" to supplement commercial fisheries as they return as adults. These, technically, are hatchery fish, but you'll never see them labeled as such in the marketplace.

    nxxqcmcifhlu.jpg
  • Hearts_2015
    Hearts_2015 Posts: 12,031 Member
    edited March 2015
    FatFreeFrolicking wrote: »
    Hearts_2015 wrote: »
    FatFreeFrolicking wrote: »
    clotho wrote: »
    The research I have seen says that sockeye is always wild because they have been unable to farm them yet. Sockeye should be labeled as pacific/Alaskan and wild. It will be frozen because they do not run at this time of the the year. I feel super lucky to live in the Pacific Northwest so I get Sockeye for $4.99/lb on a regular basis.

    Lucky! The sockeye I bought today was $17.99/lb.

    What area do you live in for comparison if you don't mind my asking? :)

    Good ole expensive Connecticut!

    aw... yes the cost of living is so very different in that area.. so I can see the huge price variation.
    FatFreeFrolicking wrote: »
    SomeGirlSomewhere wrote: »
    Sockeye salmon is significantly lower in calories than Atlantic Salmon. It has 131 calories per 100 grams compared with 208 calories per 100 grams of the Atlantic. Source: USDA

    Sockeye is less fatty than Atlantic :)
    good to know, thanks :)
  • FatFreeFrolicking
    FatFreeFrolicking Posts: 4,252 Member
    Hearts_2015 wrote: »
    FatFreeFrolicking wrote: »
    Hearts_2015 wrote: »
    FatFreeFrolicking wrote: »
    clotho wrote: »
    The research I have seen says that sockeye is always wild because they have been unable to farm them yet. Sockeye should be labeled as pacific/Alaskan and wild. It will be frozen because they do not run at this time of the the year. I feel super lucky to live in the Pacific Northwest so I get Sockeye for $4.99/lb on a regular basis.

    Lucky! The sockeye I bought today was $17.99/lb.

    What area do you live in for comparison if you don't mind my asking? :)

    Good ole expensive Connecticut!

    aw... yes the cost of living is so very different in that area.. so I can see the huge price variation.
    FatFreeFrolicking wrote: »
    SomeGirlSomewhere wrote: »
    Sockeye salmon is significantly lower in calories than Atlantic Salmon. It has 131 calories per 100 grams compared with 208 calories per 100 grams of the Atlantic. Source: USDA

    Sockeye is less fatty than Atlantic :)
    good to know, thanks :)

    Let me clarify that I typically don't purchase my fish from a chain grocery store like Stop & Shop or Big Y. I usually buy it from a family-run store in my town or a speciality fish market. Obviously that is more expensive but I find the fish fresher and tastier. Fish is something I don't mind splurging on.

    I believe Atlantic was $13.99/lb at my local chain grocery store this week! And Sockeye was $11.99/lb.

    And you're welcome! Unfortunately, Sockeye is also significantly lower in protein than Atlantic. But if you don't have enough calories for Atlantic, Sockeye is the perfect alternative!
  • clotho
    clotho Posts: 29 Member
    People in my part of the country would look at you like you were crazy if you chose the Atlantic over the Sockeye unless you had to because the Sockeye was just too expensive. We think of Atlantic salmon as all farm and as inferior. Maybe it is not all farmed but we just feel like it is. If I were to see the word Atlantic on the menu it would deter me from ordering the salmon. I would not buy Atlantic in the store unless everything else was very expensive and I really needed salmon right now.
  • Mitzki5
    Mitzki5 Posts: 482 Member
    All great info! One of the things I read about the Atlantic salmon is that most is farmed and their food has dye put in it so that their meat will turn pink like wild Atlantic salmon. That doesn't sound good to me.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,222 Member
    FatFreeFrolicking wrote: »
    Hearts_2015 wrote: »
    FatFreeFrolicking wrote: »
    Hearts_2015 wrote: »
    FatFreeFrolicking wrote: »
    clotho wrote: »
    The research I have seen says that sockeye is always wild because they have been unable to farm them yet. Sockeye should be labeled as pacific/Alaskan and wild. It will be frozen because they do not run at this time of the the year. I feel super lucky to live in the Pacific Northwest so I get Sockeye for $4.99/lb on a regular basis.

    Lucky! The sockeye I bought today was $17.99/lb.

    What area do you live in for comparison if you don't mind my asking? :)

    Good ole expensive Connecticut!

    aw... yes the cost of living is so very different in that area.. so I can see the huge price variation.
    FatFreeFrolicking wrote: »
    SomeGirlSomewhere wrote: »
    Sockeye salmon is significantly lower in calories than Atlantic Salmon. It has 131 calories per 100 grams compared with 208 calories per 100 grams of the Atlantic. Source: USDA

    Sockeye is less fatty than Atlantic :)
    good to know, thanks :)

    Let me clarify that I typically don't purchase my fish from a chain grocery store like Stop & Shop or Big Y. I usually buy it from a family-run store in my town or a speciality fish market. Obviously that is more expensive but I find the fish fresher and tastier. Fish is something I don't mind splurging on.

    I believe Atlantic was $13.99/lb at my local chain grocery store this week! And Sockeye was $11.99/lb.

    And you're welcome! Unfortunately, Sockeye is also significantly lower in protein than Atlantic. But if you don't have enough calories for Atlantic, Sockeye is the perfect alternative!
    And wild atlantic salmon is generally less fatty than farmed salmon, translation, fewer calories.

  • Jadeh907
    Jadeh907 Posts: 6 Member
    I personally have seen salmon in the stores that will say caught in the wild. All others I wouldn't trust. I personally live in Alaska and catch mine, I have never bought salmon. I know that salmon is farmed and they are fed pellets of pigs blood along with tons of nasty stuff. I would spend the extra money then consume something unnatural and possibly harmful.
  • totaldetermination
    totaldetermination Posts: 1,184 Member
    FatFreeFrolicking wrote: »

    Sockeye is less fatty than Atlantic :)

    I read somewhere that farmed salmon has more fat than wild salmon because of the diet the farmed fish are given. Also that you can tell farmed salmon from wild salmon because there is more visible fat especially in the flesh part of the fish. I have no idea if this is actually true, and can't find the link where I read it.
  • jcdoerr
    jcdoerr Posts: 172 Member
    Salmon farming is one of the most environmentally damaging aquaculture operations as well, so there's always that end of it to consider too. Just because of that I choose to eat only wild-caught when available. Plus they inject dye into the farm-raised salmon to make them pink and attractive to the buyer when they're at the seafood counter...no thanks!
  • Mitzki5
    Mitzki5 Posts: 482 Member
    I want to eat only wild caught. The package I bought says "Wild Atlantic Salmon" but then in small print it says "Ocean Farmed". Plus for the price I was paying, I figured it had to be farmed.
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