WHY FARMED ATLANTIC SALMON

Wild And
Farmed

Both wild and farmed salmon are good for you. They are both nutrient-dense, providing high-quality protein, healthy fats like omega-3 fatty acids, and essential vitamins and minerals like potassium, vitamins D, B-12 and B-5 to your diet.

Why Farmed Atlantic Salmon.

It’s Delicious

With its melt-in-your mouth texture and delicate flavor, farmed Atlantic salmon is one of the world’s most popular foods for a reason! It tastes fantastic!

It’s Good For You

With its melt-in-your mouth Not only is farmed Atlantic salmon delicious, it is one of the most nutritious foods you can eat.

It’s Local

It’s farmed right here, close to home by your neighbors in Atlantic Canada. Farmed Atlantic salmon is available fresh, year-round.

It’s Good for Your Community

The salmon farming sector creates 8,000 jobs in Atlantic Canada and supports 1300 Atlantic Canadian small businesses. The sector helps keep our communities strong and our families close to home by offering year-round full-time jobs.

It’s Planet-Friendly

By almost all measures, farmed Atlantic salmon is the most sustainable large-scale animal protein on the planet. Farming the ocean is identified by the United Nations as one of the top 5 ways to address climate change.

A Study of
Nutrition.

A 2021 study by Dr. Stefanie Colombo at Dalhousie University found significant differences in nutritional value between species of salmon – but not between farmed and wild salmon. Farmed Atlantic salmon contain significantly lower contaminants than wild salmon because feeds are more plant based than ever.

Nutritional Facts Atlantic (farmed) Pink (wild) Chinook (wild) Sockeye (wild)
Protein (% ww) 20.6 17.4 20.4 22.6
Fat (% ww) 11.6 1 9.8 4.2
Cholesterol (% ww) 77 176.6 48.9 66.7
Mercury (µg/g ww) 0.02 0.01 0.04 0.05
EPA +DHA Omega-3s
(g/100 g WW)		 1.5 0.2 1.8 0.6

Source – Caroline R. Gillies, Euichan Jung, Stefanie M. Colombo, “A Comparative Analysis of the Nutritional Quality of Salmon Species in Canada among Different Production Methods and Regions”, Aquaculture Research, vol. 2023.

Learn More about Dr. Colombo’s Research

"It's the species of salmon that makes the biggest difference in nutritional quality — not whether it was farm raised or wild caught. Farmed Atlantic salmon is a great option for its nutritional value, cost, availability and low mercury."
Dr. Stefanie Colombo
Assistant Professor and Canada Research Chair (Tier II) in Aquaculture Nutrition, Dalhousie University
Eat more
Seafood

Research shows that eating seafood at least twice a week helps maintain a healthy heart and reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases. While all kinds of seafood are good for you, farmed Atlantic salmon packs a big punch of heart-healthy Omega3s with little mercury.

Type of Seafood Omega-3 Mercury
Atlantic Salmon (Farmed) High Low
Wild salmon High Low
Mackerel (Pacific) High Low
Herring High Low
Rainbow Trout High Low
Sardines High Low
Swordfish High High
Tuna – Albacore Medium High
Tuna – Skipjack/Light Medium Medium
Lobster Medium Medium
Grouper Medium High
Sole Medium Low
Halibut Medium High
Crab Low Low
Haddock Low Low
Cod Low Medium
Talapia – Farmed Low Low
Orange Roughy Low High
Shrimp Low Low
Scallops Low Low
Omega-3 (mg per 3 oz)
High >1000 mg
Medium 200 – 1000 mg
Low <200 mg
Mercury (PPM):
High (0.5-1)
Medium (0.1-0.4)
Low (<0.1)
Source – Heartandstroke.ca
News & Releases
November 8, 2024
Bob Sweeney Earns 2024 Atlantic Canada Aquaculture Award
June 24, 2024
Federal Government Decision on BC Salmon Farms Is a Disturbing Example of Reckless Political Interference by the PMO in Ocean Management
June 5, 2024
It’s Time to Stop the Anti-Salmon Farming Blame Game
May 16, 2024
Salmon Farming Industry Calls for DFO Canada Researchers to Retract Biased Statements
March 19, 2024
Apply Now for ACFFA’s Atlantic Salmon Research Award
November 24, 2023
Species at Risk Act (SARA) Lumpfish Consultations
October 27, 2023
Dr. Steve Backman Earns 2023 Atlantic Canada Aquaculture Award
June 8, 2023
ACFFA Earns Gulf of Maine Industry Award for Environmental Leadership and Innovation
May 11, 2023
Meet ACFFA’s Science Liaison Coordinator
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