Very Bad News for Some

I had to read the newspaper article twice.  I had difficulty believing what I read.  In the Washington Post last week a story reported on the results of a blind taste test: farmed salmon vs wild caught salmon.  It is an article of faith in Alaska that wild salmon is superior. The state-supported Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute spends public funds telling the world about its merits.  Now comes a panel of noted seafood chefs and a seafood wholesaler.  They taste fillets steamed with a little salt.  The results are disastrous for the fishing industry that is based on wild caught fish .  The fish were rated 1 - 10 with 10 being the highest.  The list below shows average scores.

1. (7.6)  Costco farmed Atlantic, frozen in 4% salt solution; $6 per pound          
2. (6.4)  Trader Joe's farmed Atlantic, from Norway; $10.99 per pound         
3. (6.1)  Loch Duart farmed Atlantic, from Scotland; $15-$18 per pound 
4. (6.0)  Verlasso farmed Atlantic, from Chile; $12-$15 per pound  
5. (5.6)  Whole Foods farmed Atlantic Salmon, from Scotland, $14.99 per pound
6. (5.3)   ProFish wild king (netted), from Willapa Bay, WA, $16-$20 per pound
7. (4.9)   AquaChile farmed Atlantic, from Chile, $12-$15 per pound
8. (4.4)  ProFish wild coho (trolled), from Alaska, $16-$20 per pound
9. (4.0)  Profish wild king (trolled), from Willapa Bay, $16-$20 per pound
10. (3.9)  Costco wild coho, from Alaska, $10.99 per pound

So, foodies who won't touch anything but wild caught fish will have to rethink.  A quick trip to Costco may be in order.  Our oldest son is a commercial fisherman in Alaska.  I'm not sure what this taste test means for him.