Wild-caught salmon lives its whole life in the open ocean, eating a natural diet, which makes it leaner, firmer and deeper in color and flavor. Farm-raised salmon is raised in net pens on manufactured feed, which makes it fattier, softer and milder, with color that comes from pigment added to its feed. If it's labeled "Atlantic salmon," it's almost certainly farmed.
We're a fishing family. We catch wild coho off Alaska, one fish at a time on a hook and line, so you know which side we're on. But both fish have their place, and here's the honest comparison.
At a glance
| Wild-caught | Farm-raised | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it lives | Open ocean and rivers | Net pens, mostly in coastal waters |
| What it eats | Krill, shrimp, small fish | Manufactured feed pellets |
| Color | Natural, from its diet | From pigment added to the feed |
| Fat | Leaner | Fattier, often about twice the fat |
| Texture | Firm | Softer |
| Flavor | Cleaner, more pronounced | Milder, richer |
| Species you'll see | Coho, sockeye, king, keta, pink | Almost always Atlantic salmon |
| Season | Caught in season, usually sold frozen | Available year-round |
Where they live and what they eat
Wild salmon hatch in rivers, migrate to the ocean, and feed on whatever the ocean provides: krill, shrimp, squid and small fish. Then they swim hundreds of miles back upriver to spawn. That lifetime of swimming and natural feeding is why wild salmon is lean and firm.
Farm-raised salmon spend their lives in large net pens, usually in sheltered coastal water, and eat a manufactured feed. Most farmed salmon sold in the US is Atlantic salmon, raised in countries like Norway, Chile and Canada.
In Alaska, there's no choice to make: finfish farming has been illegal in Alaska since 1990. Every salmon that comes out of Alaska is wild.
Why is wild salmon redder? (The color question)
Salmon get their color from astaxanthin, a natural pigment in the krill and shrimp they eat. Wild salmon get it from their diet. Farmed salmon don't eat a natural diet, so without help their flesh would be pale gray. That's why farms add astaxanthin to the feed, and farms can choose the shade they want from a color chart.
So color alone won't tell you wild from farmed. Look at the fat lines instead: farmed salmon usually has thick, bright white fat stripes running through it, while wild salmon has thin lines and more even color.
Fat, nutrition and taste
Fat: Farmed salmon is much fattier. Farmed Atlantic salmon often carries about twice the fat of wild salmon per serving, which is where its soft, buttery texture and extra calories come from.
Omega-3s: Both wild and farmed salmon are good sources of omega-3 fatty acids and high-quality protein. Because farmed salmon is fattier, it can carry a similar or higher amount of omega-3s per serving, but modern feeds with plant oils also give it more omega-6. Wild salmon's fat comes entirely from its natural diet.
Taste: Farmed salmon is mild, rich and soft. Wild salmon tastes cleaner and more distinctly "salmon," with a firmer bite. People who say salmon tastes the same everywhere usually haven't tried them side by side.
Is farmed salmon bad for you?
No. Farmed salmon is a nutritious food, and the FDA includes salmon among its "best choices" for eating fish. The real differences are the ones above: more fat and calories, more omega-6 from the feed, added pigment, and a softer texture. Whether that matters to you comes down to flavor, how it was raised, and what you want to know about where your food came from.
We choose wild because we know exactly where it lived, what it ate, and how it was caught, and because we think it simply tastes better.
How to tell if salmon is wild or farmed
- Read the label. US grocery stores are required to label fresh and frozen fish as wild or farm-raised, along with the country of origin. (Restaurants and many processed products are exempt.)
- Check the species. "Atlantic salmon" is almost always farmed. Coho, sockeye, king (chinook), keta and pink are Pacific salmon, and when they're labeled "Alaskan," they're wild.
- Look at the fat lines. Thick, bright white stripes point to farmed.
- Look at the season and price. Wild salmon is caught in summer and sold frozen the rest of the year, and it usually costs more. Very cheap "wild" salmon deserves a second look.
- Ask how it was caught. A good seller can tell you the species, the catch method and who caught it.
How to cook wild vs. farmed salmon
Because wild salmon is leaner, it cooks faster and forgives less. The biggest mistake people make is cooking wild salmon like farmed salmon. Not sure which to choose? Here is how coho vs. sockeye salmon compare.
- Cook wild salmon a little less. Pull it as soon as it turns opaque and just starts to flake (145°F at the thickest point). It keeps cooking off the heat.
- Use a bit of fat. A brush of oil or butter keeps lean wild salmon moist.
- Farmed salmon tolerates more heat because of its extra fat.
Why we fish wild, and how we fish it
Choosing wild-caught Alaskan salmon is the first decision. The second is how it was caught. Much of the world's wild salmon comes up in nets. We troll for coho on a hook and line, one fish at a time, bleed each one right away, and flash-freeze it at sea within hours. That handling is what keeps wild salmon firm and clean-tasting all the way to your kitchen.
Taste the difference with our wild coho, browse all of our wild-caught Alaskan salmon, or read our buyer's guide for the five questions to ask any seller.
Frequently asked questions
Is wild-caught salmon better than farm-raised?
They're different. Wild salmon is leaner, firmer and more flavorful, with natural color. Farmed salmon is fattier, softer and milder, with added color. If flavor, texture and knowing how your fish lived matter most, choose wild.
Is farmed salmon bad for you?
No. Farmed salmon is nutritious, and the FDA lists salmon among its best choices for eating fish. It's higher in fat and calories than wild salmon and gets its color from pigment added to its feed.
Why is farmed salmon pink?
Farmed salmon would be pale gray without help, so astaxanthin, the same pigment wild salmon get from krill and shrimp, is added to its feed.
Is all Alaskan wild-caught salmon wild?
Yes. Finfish farming has been illegal in Alaska since 1990, so salmon from Alaska is wild.
Is Atlantic salmon wild or farmed?
Almost always farmed. Commercial fishing for wild Atlantic salmon is prohibited in the US, and nearly all Atlantic salmon sold here is farm-raised.
Does wild salmon taste different from farmed?
Yes. Wild salmon has a cleaner, more pronounced flavor and a firmer texture. Farmed salmon is milder and softer because of its higher fat.
