Farmed salmon is everywhere. It’s in grocery stores, on restaurant menus, and even in many pet foods. But just because it’s popular, doesn’t mean it’s problem-free.

When we think of salmon, we often picture cold, pristine waters and wild fish swimming upstream — not crowded pens or fish farms. But nearly 70% of the salmon consumed today is farmed, and that comes with real environmental and nutritional consequences.

Although farmed fish like salmon are sometimes seen as a step toward sustainability, the full picture is more complicated. From their diet to their living conditions, farm-raised salmon means trading the image of wild rivers for a different reality: crowded net pens, disease, and a supply chain that starts by harvesting wild fish to feed farmed stocks.

Fortunately, a smarter seafood story is emerging — and it begins with Silver carp.

What is Farmed Salmon?

Salmon is one of the most popular seafoods in the U.S.  But what many people don’t realize is that most of it comes from densely packed farms, not the wild. 

These fish are typically raised in large ocean pens or inland tanks, where they’re fed a processed diet made from fishmeal (often made from overfished species), soy, and additives to accelerate growth.

To manage disease in such close quarters, fish farms often use antibiotics and pesticides, which can leak into surrounding waters and impact marine ecosystems.

Other concerns include:

• Potential spread of disease to wild fish populations

• Overfishing of wild fish to feed farmed fish

• Crowding that stresses fish and increases vulnerability to illness

• Waste runoff  that can pollute surrounding waters

• Escapees that may threaten native salmon species

Is Farmed Salmon Healthy?

Nutritionally, farmed salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, high in protein, and generally more affordable than wild options, making it more accessible for people and pets. However, there are significant nutritional and environmental trade-offs to consider: 

• Antibiotic residues due to routine use in crowded pens to manage disease

• High levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) 

• More total fat with less favorable fat-to-protein ratios

• Fewer omega-3s per serving

• Gets its pink color from added astaxanthin*

*Astaxanthin is a naturally occurring carotenoid — a reddish compound found in crustaceans. In wild salmon, the pigment comes from their diet. In farmed systems, it's added synthetically or through ground crustaceans to mimic that familiar pink hue. Without it, farm-raised salmon would be gray or pale white.

What About Wild-Caught Fish?

Wild-caught fish are often considered the gold standard because they live in natural environments and eat natural diets. However, wild fishing comes with its own challenges:

• Overfishing of popular species like wild-caught salmon and cod

• Bycatch of unintended species, including sharks and sea turtles

• Long-distance transport, which increases environmental impact

• Ocean plastic, one of the top contributors to ocean plastics are discarded fishing nets and equipment

It’s important to seek wild-caught options that are not only sustainable but also support healthy ecosystems.

Why Silver Carp is a Wild-Caught Win

When you think of wild-caught fish, salmon, tuna, or cod might come to mind. But one of the most sustainable fish choices today doesn’t come from the ocean —  it comes from U.S. rivers.

Silver carp is an overpopulated wild-caught fish. Harvesting Silver carp helps protect native species and restores biodiversity. It also offers strong nutritional and environmental benefits:

• Healthy: Silver carp is lean, high-protein, rich in omega-3s, and low in mercury or other toxic accumulates often found in ocean fish.

• Sustainable: Requires no feed or antibiotics and is caught using selective net fishing to eliminate bycatch risk.

• USA Wild-Caught: Supports U.S. fishermen and transforms an overlooked species into a climate-smart resource.

Rethink What’s on the Plate (and in the Bowl)

The seafood choices we make — for ourselves and our pets — have wide-reaching impacts. They affect ecosystems, support or strain food systems, and shape the kind of planet we’ll share.

From overpopulated species to sustainable nutrition, Silver carp offers a smarter way forward for pets and the planet!