Camire Explains Differences Between Farm-Raised, Wild-Caught Fish for WTOP
Mary Ellen Camire, University of Maine professor of food science and human nutrition and president of the Institute of Food Technologists, spoke with WTOP-FM: Washington’s Top News for the report “What you need to know about farm-raised vs. wild-caught fish.” Camire, who explained the differences between the types of fish as quite simple, said farm-raised fish are grown in pens that are often submerged in ponds, lakes and saltwater, while wild-caught fish are caught in natural environments by fisherman. Some fish can even be both, she added. “Sometimes they just take the wild fish as babies and they grow them in a pen and fatten them up and then sell them at market, so there’s virtually no difference,” Camire said. Similar to wild game or poultry, there may be a slight difference in taste between the two varieties, she said. “Farm fish tend to have a little bit more fat in their diet, so they might be a little more tender or softer, compared to a wild-caught fish which might be a little leaner,” Camire said.