Woolworths sources its farmed salmon primarily from Macquarie Harbour, Tasmania, a practice that has drawn significant criticism from environmental groups who say it threatens the endangered Maugean skate. While Woolworths maintains its "Responsibly Sourced" claims through certifications like BAP and GLOBALG.A.P., activists argue these don't fully account for the environmental impact on the skate, leading to protests and formal complaints against the retailer.
The Woolworths Salmon Portions Skin On are excellent quality! The fillets are fresh, firm, and cook beautifully with crispy skin and great flavour. Perfect for grilling, baking, or pan-frying.
Chinook salmon occur mainly on the east coast of the South Island from the Waiau River in the north to the Clutha River in the south. The main runs occur in the large braided rivers – the Waimakariri, Rakaia, Rangitata and Waitaki.
- All non-tinned salmon sold in Australia is farmed other than the 100% wild sockeye salmon from The Canadian Way. The Canadian Way also sells wild tuna, halibut, and wild black cod, lobster, prawns, scollops, salmon roe and smoked salmon (all 100% wild).
Popular for its tasty, pink flesh packed full of omega-3 fatty acids, salmon is a versatile fish that can be wild-caught (in oceans, lakes and rivers) or farmed. Most of the salmon found in UK supermarkets is Atlantic salmon, farmed mainly in Scotland, but it can also be from Norway, Chile and the Faroe Islands.
Find out if the salmon is wild-caught or farmed. If in doubt, it's probably farmed Atlantic salmon. Buy U.S. wild-caught salmon—only a tiny amount is red-rated (scroll down for more information). Buy wild-caught salmon from Canada, except Chinook or coho salmons caught on British Columbia, Canada's South Coast.
There are definitely concerns when it comes to seafood imported from China. Historically, they have been higher in unapproved anti-fungal medication used to keep fish alive in less than ideal conditions.
Farmed King Salmon from New Zealand can be served in exactly the same way as the more familiar Atlantic salmon. Its orange flesh is meaty and lightly oily, ensuring it remains moist during cooking. Try it pan-fried, barbecued, oven-roast, steamed or poached – it's incredibly versatile!
Farmed salmon is lighter and more pink in color, while wild has a deeper reddish-orange hue. Farmed fish will also a lot more fatty marbling in its flesh (those wavy white lines) since they aren't fighting against upstream currents like wild ones.
Salmon is considered to be one of Norway's healthiest livestock, even if there are still challenges that need to be addressed. According to the Aquaculture Act, farmed salmon should enjoy good health for the course of its life. Compared to many other countries, Norway has a good overview of the health of farmed fish.
Farmed salmon are bred to grow fast in cages so crammed that they are rife with parasites and disease. The fish eat pellets of fishmeal, vegetables, and animal byproducts; they are doused regularly with pesticides and antibiotics.
With the highest oil content of all salmon species, King salmon is an excellent source of high-quality protein. Full of flavour with a deliciously delicate texture, it is also a good source of omega-3 levels per serving compared to other salmon and seafood species, which helps support healthy hearts, brains and joints.
Kahawai/Australian salmon (Arripis trutta) are found all around New Zealand and Australia. They are known as Kahawai in New Zealand and Australian Salmon in Australia. There are 2 closely related cousins.
To avoid unhealthy or unsustainable salmon, steer clear of most farmed Atlantic salmon from open net pens (especially from Chile, Canada, Norway, Scotland, or Tasmania due to pollution, disease, antibiotics, and contaminants like PCBs/PFAS) and wild-caught Atlantic salmon, which is overfished; instead, opt for sustainably-caught wild Pacific salmon (like Sockeye, Coho) or farmed salmon in closed-containment systems with certifications like ASC or BAP for healthier, planet-friendly choices, says Seafood Watch, GoodFish, and EatingWell.
Coles and Woolworths are continuing to source and sell farmed salmon from Macquarie Harbour, where operations are having a catastrophic impact on the endangered Maugean skate. Help us get 10,000 signatures and we'll personally deliver them at their upcoming annual meetings.
If you're looking for the healthiest option, king salmon should be your top choice. If you're looking for more affordable and readily available types of salmon, opt for farm-raised Atlantic. For the easiest option that doesn't even involve cooking, look for canned pink salmon.
Prioritize seafood that is free from antibiotics, chemicals, and artificial additives. Nutrition: Both types are rich in Omega-3s, and vitamin D. Farmed salmon has slightly more Omega-3s due to higher fat content, while wild salmon is leaner and lower in calories.
🎨 Farmed salmon flesh is naturally GRAY. To achieve the pink color consumers expect, synthetic astaxanthin is added to their feed. While wild salmon get their vibrant color from eating krill and shrimp, farmed salmon are fed pellets with added colorants.
There are many different types of salmon — specifically, five types of Pacific salmon and two types of Atlantic salmon. Atlantic salmon is typically farmed, while Pacific salmon species are primarily wild-caught. Wild-caught Pacific salmon are typically considered to be the healthiest salmon.
Fresh salmon should be pink or orange, have a mild scent, and feel firm to the touch. If it smells strong or sour, looks gray or discolored, or feels slimy or mushy, it's best not to eat it. To reduce the risk of spoilage, choose high-quality salmon that's been properly handled and stored.
Norway is a long country, our rugged coastline stretches more than 100 000 kilometres, second only to Canada. Our plentiful cold, long fjords and coastal waters provide the perfect conditions for year-round production of salmon and trout of the highest quality.
Not all salmon are equal
This salmon comes from Norway. It is atlantic salmon that's farmed, killed, frozen, shipped to New Zealand, thawed and sold as steaks and fillets for cheaper than our own farmed salmon. "New Zealand king salmon is the creme de la creme of all salmon," Cole says.
The unhealthiest fish to eat are typically large, predatory species high in mercury like shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and imported tilefish, plus bluefin tuna, which are dangerous for brain/nerve health, especially for pregnant women and children; also, farmed salmon and some imported tilapia/catfish raise concerns for contaminants and antibiotics, while orange roughy and Atlantic cod are often cited for high mercury and overfishing/sustainability issues.
All fish will be safe to eat when thoroughly cooked. Cook fish to at least 140°F (usually when the flesh becomes opaque and flaky). This way, if your fish is infected with a parasite, it will be killed, making the fish completely safe to eat. Dogs should not lick or consume raw trout or salmon.
Avoid packages with signs of frost or ice crystals, which may mean the fish has been stored a long time or thawed and refrozen. Avoid packages where the "frozen" fish flesh is not hard. The fish should not be bendable.