Which is Better? Farm Raised or Wild Caught Catfish
by Christine
(Rio Rancho, NM 87124)
Hi. I recently started working in the seafood department of a grocery store and get asked a lot the difference between farm raised and wild caught. Which is better?
Answer: That is one of the most often questions I got asked at the fish market too.
The difference is, a farm raised catfish is feed catfish food pellets that float on the surface of the water. A wild caught catfish, feeds off the bottom of the lakes, rivers and streams they live in.
Wild caught catfish can have what is called a off flavor or muddy flavor to them. Because of the water they live in and that they feed off muddy bottoms.
Not all wild caught catfish will have an off flavor. I have caught many catfish in spring-fed ponds, that where fantastic.
Some times farm raised catfish will get an off flavor too. But the catfish farmers and processors try to avoid this by taste testing the catfish before harvesting.
So which is better?
Well that really depends on the person taste. Some people grew up eating wild caught and like catfish with a more fishy (off flavor) flavor.
But I would say the majority of people prefer farm raised catfish, due to it's sweet, mild flavor.
Thanks Christine
Frank
Your fishmonger
