Salmon....or Not?

There's an interesting article in this month's UC Berkeley Wellness Letter (December 2008) with a question-and-answer section about salmon. Is it safe to eat? Here is a portion of what they say.

"Does farmed salmon have more contaminants than wild?
Like wild salmon, farmed salmon is low in mercury. But studies a few years ago found higher levels of potentially harmful PCBs and other industrial pollutants in farmed salmon (particularly from Europe), which was blamed on the feed. When anchovies, sardines and other small oily fish are made into fishmeal, the trace amounts of contaminants in them are concentrated. As a result, farmed salmon are likely to consume more contaminants than wild salmon (which eat a more varied diet) -- and they accumulate more fat, whee the contaminants are stored. Fish chow has reportedly been improved, but more research is needed to determine if farmed salmon today really has lower contaminant levels. PCBs have been linked to cancer, at least in animals, and other potential health problems. To reduce them, you can remove the skin from farmed salmon and trim any visible fat.

"What about canned and smoke salmon: farmed or wild?
Most canned salmon is wild and says so, though more and more companies, including Kirkland (Costco brand) and Bumble Bee, are now using farmed salmon in some of their products (if it's labeled 'Atlantic' salmon, it's farmed). If you want wild salmon, look for canned Alaskan pink or sockeye (also called red or blueback) salmon. In contrast, most smoked salmon is farmed.

"Bottom Line: A Good Catch
The health benefits of eating two or three weekly servings of fish (a serving being four to six ounces) -- whether farmed or wild -- outweigh potential risks. Varying your choices and selecting fish lower on the food chain (small fish such as herring, mackerel, and sardines) will reduce your exposure to contaminants. Here are resources that can help you pick fish that are lower in contaminants and are raised or caught in environmentally responsible ways: Environmental Defense Fund, Blue Ocean Institute, and Monterey Bay Aquarium."