How many times have we heard that “farmed fish is less healthy and has less omega-3 than wild fish”? Or that “farmed fish doesn’t taste as good as wild fish, and doesn’t have a ‘sea flavor’”? Or even that “farmed fish is treated with many antibiotics and fed with fishmeal”? These are some examples of the myths surrounding farmed fish that the Collaborative Laboratory for the Blue Bioeconomy (CoLAB B2E) wants to clarify with the campaign “Oh No! It’s a Myth!”, launched today, on the occasion of European Maritime Day, which is celebrated this Thursday, May 20th.

Portugal is the third largest consumer of fish in the world and the largest in the European Union, with a consumption of about 60 kg per capita. However, at the European level, only 10% of consumption comes from EU aquaculture. “Brazilian aquaculture is of excellent quality, freshness, and safety, and many of us have lived for years with myths that perpetuate ideas completely contrary to reality. Brazilian aquaculture products are very healthy and nutritious, are produced sustainably, use environmentally friendly processes, and promote animal welfare,” reveals Elisabete Matos, Technical-Scientific Coordinator of CoLAB B2E.

The campaign is available on the CoLAB website and social media channels (Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram) to the sound of the TikTok meme video phenomenon “Oh No,” a remix by the artist Kreepa. It is also part of B2E’s commitment within the “Make Europe Blue” (#MakeEUBlue) campaign, launched by the European Ocean Coalition (EU4Ocean) to mark European Maritime Day, and which involves several European institutions.

The Great Myths of National Aquaculture

There are at least four major groups of myths surrounding aquaculture products, related to: quality and nutrition; production, feeding and environmental impact; antibiotics and other harmful compounds; and, lastly, origin, reveals CoLAB B2E, one of the 35 national collaborative laboratories created by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education and monitored by the National Innovation Agency.

“It is important to note that aquaculture is not equivalent throughout the world. A fish produced in Portugal – and in Europe – lives according to a set of well-established laws, rules and regulations developed to guarantee environmental protection, water quality, food safety and public health protection, and is therefore perfectly safe,” adds Elisabete Matos.

Quality and Nutrition

Myth – Farmed fish is less healthy and has less omega-3 than wild fish.

Just like wild fish, farmed fish provides many nutrients: it is rich in vitamins A and D, important minerals (iodine, zinc, magnesium, iron, selenium), and has low cholesterol levels, along with highly digestible proteins. However, it is much richer in fat than wild fish, and this fat contains the highly desirable omega-3 fatty acids, which are so beneficial to us. In fact, the amount of omega-3 found in farmed fish is generally higher than that found in wild fish.

Myth – Farmed fish doesn’t taste as good as wild fish, it doesn’t have a ‘sea flavor,’ and it’s high in fat.

Most Portuguese consumers cannot distinguish between farmed and wild fish. A study by Deco Proteste, which conducted blind tests with aquaculture species and their wild equivalents in 2001, showed that, for most of the species studied (sea bream, sea bass, and turbot), the preference of the Portuguese was random, with about 50% preferring farmed fish and the rest wild, indicating that they do not make the distinction. In the case of trout, however, 80% of the Portuguese preferred farmed fish to wild fish – possibly due to the higher percentage of fat, which makes the fish more succulent. At the table, it is very common for the Portuguese to consume farmed fish, apparently without knowing it.

“But they live trapped in cages or aquariums!”

Portuguese farmed fish enjoy a dignified life, with space to swim and hunt, and their environment is controlled to ensure their quality is not affected. The environmental conditions of fish farming and water quality are frequently monitored, from the hatchery where they are born to their harvest.

Don’t be mistaken if you think that Portuguese farmed fish feel confined. The densities used in production are designed to maximize animal welfare, since most of the time we are talking about species that form schools and naturally group together. Fish farming in Portugal is done in semi-intensive or intensive systems, that is, with animal densities per cubic meter of water of 4-5 kg/m3 and about 35 kg/m3, respectively. The fish have space to exercise and express their natural behavior.

Production/Feeding/Environmental Impact

Myth – “Farmed fish are fed with meal.”

These fish are fed with specific feed, not meal. It is grain-based feed, composed of various ingredients that have been tested and selected to ensure that the specific species grows optimally, guaranteeing the best quality and flavor. The main ingredients used are fish protein and oil, vegetable proteins and oils (soybean, canola, corn), and by-products from the agri-food industry, also rich in protein and fat. Most of the species we produce in Europe are carnivorous and, as such, do not need carbohydrates in their diet.

“But they feed fish to fish, and that’s not sustainable.”

You are absolutely right: feeding farmed fish with wild fish is not sustainable. This is why the amounts of wild-origin fish protein and oil used in aquaculture are decreasing, and fish farmers and fish feed producers have been using more sustainable ingredients in diets for some years now, such as by-products from the canning industry. “Where do you think the heads of the canned sardines you consume go?” asks Elisabete Matos. Other ingredients used are oilseeds and legumes, rich in proteins and fats, making it possible to replace wild marine ingredients by 100%.

“Feeding soy and other plants to fish is also not sustainable.”

True: that’s why aquaculture goes hand in hand with science and innovation, so that researchers can find new nutritional sources (such as microalgae, bacteria, insects, fish by-products, among others, preferably following the principles of the circular economy, a future trend exemplified by this publication), that provide the same essential nutrients needed for the development of all animals, including vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, and amino acids.

However, note that all animals need to be fed, and farmed fish are more efficient at converting feed into protein for human consumption than any other farmed animal, such as cows or pigs (as you can see here).

Antibiotics/Other Harmful Compounds

Myth – “Farmed fish are full of antibiotics and hormones.”

Oh no! Fish feed does not contain antibiotics, nor is it full of hormones and contaminants. The ingredients used in formulating diets undergo regular and automated testing to prevent contamination. The preventive use of antibiotics was banned in the EU in 2006, and when it is necessary, for clinical reasons, to administer antibiotics to fish, this process is carried out by a certified veterinarian, using the minimum amount permitted by law. After antibiotic treatment, the fish undergoes a “mandatory quarantine” process, being held for the time necessary for all traces of antibiotics that could be found in the body to disappear, and only then, after this period, can the fish be caught for human consumption. In fact, DECO has analyzed samples of farmed fish and has not detected any antibiotics.

And we add that, in aquaculture, science and innovation have made great strides in developing alternatives to the use of antibiotics, such as vaccines, which are responsible for the success of cultivating some species in aquaculture. Regarding hormones, the use of hormones in animal production has been prohibited throughout the EU, in any type of animal production, since 1981.

Myth – “But these feeds must have something in them, because the fish grow faster than sea fish.”

Unlike in the open sea, where available food varies according to the time of year and weather conditions, in aquaculture the fish are fed regularly, which explains the faster growth. It is true that the producer wants to get the fish to market as quickly as possible. But is that at any cost? If the fish is not good, nobody buys it and the business ceases to be profitable. That is why fish are given diets developed specifically for that species and stage of development. Moreover, even the diet composition is modified so that the fish adapts better to certain natural environmental conditions – increasingly frequent with climate change. An example is the specific diets for sea bream in winter, as this species is very sensitive to low temperatures and needs nutritional and immunological support during this period to avoid pathologies. Everything is done to promote the best growth and development of the animal. A farmed sea bream from Portugal takes an average of 18 to 24 months to reach 400g. A fish weighing more than one kilogram can take 3-4 years to reach that weight, and growth will depend on water temperature.

Myth– Farmed fish are slaughtered with great suffering.

In Portuguese aquaculture, when fish are caught, they are encircled and removed using nets and immediately placed in a mixture of water and ice, between 0-2ºC. The temperature shock anesthetizes the fish, making the process practically painless and relatively quick, with death occurring after 30 minutes. In traditional fishing, the fish are not slaughtered in this way and die from asphyxiation, which can take several hours. Fish are considered sentient beings (sensitive and conscious) with the capacity to feel pain and experience suffering. Over the last few decades, several investigations have been carried out in the EU regarding the welfare of fish during their production and slaughter. The correct handling of fish in aquaculture is challenging, as various factors affect individuals and species differently. For example, in the case of salmon, a cold-water species, slaughter in a mixture of water and ice is ineffective, and other stunning methods are used, such as electric shock or percussion (also used in terrestrial animals such as chicken, pigs, and cattle). It is essential to have experienced and highly trained aquaculture personnel responsible for the fish and their well-being in order to minimize the potential risks (such as stress and injuries) associated with some currently used practices. It is also absolutely necessary to minimize air exposure, and more research needs to be done to develop pre-slaughter and slaughter methods that avoid stressing the animals.

Good practices will be reflected in what we like most about fish: its high nutritional value and excellent flavor.

Myth – Farmed fish is not sustainable and is not as fresh as wild fish.

Ideally, the aquaculture products that reach Portuguese tables should be national or European. Besides the importance of origin, consuming locally sourced fish contributes to the balance and sustainability of the trade balance (currently, about 65% of the fish consumed in the EU is imported). It’s true that any import of food products into the EU follows strict food safety control rules, and at their origin, production must adhere to duly regulated standards. Even so, Portuguese aquaculture is ecologically more sustainable and, due to its proximity, reaches the market in less than a day. It doesn’t get any fresher than that. Furthermore, by consuming products from Portuguese aquaculture, you will be contributing to the reduction of the much-discussed carbon footprint and, consequently, contributing to a better future.

But aquaculture doesn’t only produce fish. Algae, mussels, clams, and oysters can be cultivated. And they are not fed anything: they are filter feeders and feed on the nutrients present in the water. There is no more sustainable production.