Soooo I finally bought this Verlasso Salmon. It seems to be like the best farm raised salmon on the market for its sustainability and rich diet. I’m still looking around and studying about farming techniques, best practices and all that a discerning fish buyer should know of.

Oily fish – rich in Omega-3 fatty acids.

I always end up buying salmon, some shrimp, Chilean sea bass, barramundi – and always wild-caught. If there is something I miss from the Mediterranean Sea, it is actually my weekly ration of oily fish (called “pesce azzurro”, great source of vitamins A and D and VERY rich in omega-3 fatty acids). Sardines, anchovies, herrings and all that small fish that’s so small it’s not even polluted. 

Last month I heard about this Verlasso Salmon, the first and only ocean-raised farmed Atlantic salmon to receive the “Good Alternative” buy ranking from the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch® program. I was at Central Market today, I saw it and it was in my cart in the blink of an eye. It’s actually very good, clean taste, excellent fat to lean ratio, firm and buttery texture. I seared it with a savory herb crust and it was AWESOME.

• Verlasso salmon are raised in the clean waters of Patagonia
• Fish are given ample room to grow, and interaction with the natural environment is carefully managed.
• Verlasso salmon are raised on a diet rich in omega-3, which is transformed naturally into a health benefit for us.

I don’t know enough – but I am still not comfortable with this yeast they use. It’s genetically modified to produce omega-3s. I understand and appreciate that the yeast is less than 10% and that they save 75% of the feeder fish (ratio 1:1 instead of 4:1) used in traditional salmon aquaculture while retaining the omega-3s in the salmon. Genetically modified still gives me some thoughts. I’ll keep studying.

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Update / April 2014: I had a nice, educational talk with Verlasso Salmon Director Scott Nichols about their GMO-yeast – he explained how they’re doing their best to keep the environment safe and he made clear how their yeast is currently the best and most sustainable solution if we want to keep on eating salmon.