Next time you chow down on a nice seafood meal, consider where your fish is coming from. Did you know that some fish are factory farmed like chickens instead of swimming freely in the ocean? This style of fish farming in factories is on the rise, though it comes with some complications.
There is widespread concern about the impact of factory fish farming on the environment. These farms produce extensive waste that can contaminate the water and adversely affect other ocean creatures. There’s also the risk of diseases rapidly spreading in these fish because they are held so close together.
On these fish farms, seafood is produced in big batches so that fish can be made to supply stores and restaurants with fish. The fish often are crammed into tanks or cages where they have little room to swim. They get special food that helps them grow faster, and this may influence their health.
Eating fish farmed in factories poses health risks. Certain fish are given antibiotics to prevent disease, and these can be present in the fish that humans consume. There could also be toxic things in the water that the fish consume, and these can be dangerous for humans as well.
Will improved techniques benefit fish farming? Others believe there are more environmentally-friendly and healthier methods of raising fish. Fish farms can reduce their environmental impact by feeding the fish natural ingredients such as algae and giving them space to swim.
