Salmon - Wild or Farmed?

The Zone Diet Advises:

What Is Your Salmon?

Fresh "wild" salmon from West Coast waters are becoming increasingly popular in markets and on restaurant menus. The word "wild" is used for fish caught in the open seas, as opposed to fish harvested from coastal "farms." The "wild" advantage: Open-sea waters are less polluted, so fish is safer and — some say — tastier.

But here's the catch: The term "wild" is unregulated, with no governing body restricting its use. Because the word "wild" means a tripling (or more) in fish prices, sellers along the supply chain are calling farmed salmon "wild," a past New York Times report found. In fact, only one "wild" purchase out of eight actually tested was completely wild. (Farmed fish is treated with a pink pigment to mask its natural grayish cast, so it's easy to test for the dye.)

The bottom line for the consumer: The off-season for wild salmon is November to May — so if you see an abundance of fresh, wild West Coast salmon during those months, be suspicious. You may be better off using canned salmon until summer.

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