World Aquaculture Singapore 2022

November 29 - December 2, 2022

Singapore

CONSUMER'S CHOICE: FARM-RAISED VS. WILD-HARVESTED SEAFOOD?

Chengchu Liu

 

University of Maryland Extension

Maryland Sea Grant College Program

Maryland, USA

cathyliu@umd.edu

 



The global seafood production reached about 179 million tons. Among them, aquaculture accounted for 46 percent of the total production and 52 percent of fish for human consumption. Therefore, aquaculture growth is critical to further increase seafood supply. However, aquaculture is often portrayed a poor image despite immense economic importance. Media also often report that farm-raised seafood has lower nutritional values than wild-harvest seafood. Another popular misconception is that farm-raised fish and shellfish are inferior to wild-harvested ones in terms of safety and quality. This presentation aims to convey scientific facts of nutrition values and safety attributes of farm-raised and wild-harvested seafood. Research results show that both farm-raised and wild-harvest seafood are good sources of high quality protein, healthy fats (long chain omega 3 fatty acids, Table 1), macro minerals (e.g., calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and potassium), trace minerals (e.g., zinc, iodine, and selenium) and vitamins (e.g., vitamins A and D). For seafood safety, all regulations and safety standards are equally implemented for both wild-harvested and farm-raised seafood in the United States. Therefore, consumer’s choices between farmed or wild-harvested should base on personal preference instead of concerns regarding nutrition and safety.