Whether a fish has been organically raised or nurtured is hard to determine given that wild fish spend their lives roaming the seas eating pretty much what they can: smaller fish, seaweed, plankton and debris whose organic credentials cannot be traced. Farmed fish, kept in cages in the depths of the ocean suffer from sea lice and parasites that cause agitation and distress for the fish when not treated with chemicals, antibiotics and the like. While the various Agriculture departments of western governments continue to debate the efficacy of fish farming they are also assured by the environmentalists that there is little alternative to fish farming as fish stocks are declining fast and not likely to survive a further 40 years.
In Europe, the ‘organic’ certification of fish has been in place for a few years but it was only last autumn that the National Organics Standards Board in the US approved that label, precisely dictating that the level of wild fish fed to caged species should not exceed 25 percent of the total feed. The challenge, the Board suggests, is to find a healthy protein product with a proper regard to where the feed comes from. Why only 25 percent said the Environmentalists? It’s still an open debate and one that barely reaches the consumer. For most shoppers, the term ‘wild’ instantly conjures pictures of wholesome origins for fruits, vegetables and meats, where ‘farmed’ evokes manmade feeds polluted with the latest pesticides and additives. It seems we must reverse our thinking when we consider fish.
One hidden advantage of supporting organic fish farms is the better attendance to fish farm activity in general. Organic fish farms tend to be small family-run concerns with more and more cleaning up their act to become organically certified. The feed itself must come from fisheries themselves certified as sustainable or from fish processing. Organic fish farms have high standards and notably allow the fish more space within their cage. This reduces stress and lessens the likelihood of disease and so reduces the need to apply chemicals. Toxic copper-based chemicals once used to keep nets clean have also been banned on organic farms.
If you are hunting down organic fish, try some of the fish farm suppliers. Here you are more likely to find the closest the fish industry can get to a truly ‘organic’ fish. Fish that are wild may not be as pollution free as a buyer would like to expect. As with all fish, the freshness is determined by the quality of the flesh, its pinkness or firmness, with reddening around gills and shining clear eyes. In Europe there are reputable organic sources of farmed fish and a now eco-friendly labelling to give assurance to the concerned customer. Supermarkets in Europe are beginning to stock organic trout and salmon and farmed mussels and shellfish. The unbeatable nutritional value of fish is well known: fish oil is good for the brain, cardiovascular system, hair, skin, inflammation and vitamin B is recommended for the nervous system.
To preserve as much nutritional value as possible during cooking, it is recommended to use the wrap method which is so simple and so effective at keeping the fish succulent, flavoursome and tend. After dressing with lemon, a little olive oil, salt and pepper, wrap the fish in foil and bake. Be careful not to overcook through frying or baking can reduce the appeal of whole fish or filleted fish and also reduce the effectiveness of the nutritional benefits.
