Vigil Seafood Co.
The Facts of Icelandic Salmon
Icelanders are connected to the sea and to living in harmony with it. It is not a mistake that Vigil is focused on Icelandic products, especially its farmed salmon. There are a great deal of challenges that come from farming salmon, and a great deal of misinformation about it. We hope to dispel those rumors. We also hope to explain why the flavor profile, the health benefits, and the food quality of Icelandic farmed salmon makes it a great choice for both easy to cook weekly meals, and elevated refined meals.
Farmed vs Wild Salmon
The Myth
Wild salmon is higher quality, better tasting, and is safer on the environment than farmed salmon.
The Facts
THERE IS NO WILD CAUGHT ATLANTIC SALMON. There used to be, but it was such a popular flavor profile, their stocks degraded to dangerous levels in the late 19th century. Farming became the only way to continue to provide the species to the market. The country of Iceland takes this a step further protecting their wild salmon populations by controlling escapes and waste.
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Farmed Atlantic salmon is a flavorful and versatile fish. Depending on the growth conditions, farmed salmon can provide great variances in flavor profiles and quality. Differences in texture, marbling, taste and even the color are affected by water temperature, feeds, and other environmental factors.
The Final Word
We are food positive! There are plenty of wild products that are high quality, clean, and extremely tasty. And we encourage eating them. It is more difficult with wild salmon to determine if you are getting a top catch or something that has sat and been refreshed several times.
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Farmed products are easier to trace and track from the water to your plate. Most of them are grown in sustainable and safe environments. Salmon in general is a super healthy source of protein. So put it in your diet in the way you can afford.
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If your budget supports a high quality product like Icelandic Salmon, please give us a try. Our partners farmers meet the highest quality standards in the industry. They farm in the glacial waters of Iceland, eliminating the need for antibiotics completely. The slow natural growth of the fish, fed with the highest quality feed produces a buttery flavor, with a firm texture, marbled with a vibrant color. If you can't afford us everyday, we encourage you to put salmon in your diet anyway you can: just make sure they are ASC or MSC certified and that they minimize the use of antibiotics.
Salmon Farms are Filled with Disease
The Myth
Salmon farms are raised in poor quality conditions
The Facts
THIS IS COMPLETELY UNTRUE. Most modern farms meet Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) Certified standards and all ASC Certified farms meet a strict standard of environmental and social responsibility. Some farms, such as our partners in Iceland meet even higher standards solidifying their dedication to the protection of the environment, the species, and food safety.
The final word
In the early days of aquaculture there were fewer regulations and it was much more difficult to check the claims of the producers. The rise of independent organizations and the market drive for traceability and accountability changed all of this. ​In fact, wild fish cannot make claims of organic, or chemical free.
Wild fish are....well, wild. Fishing boats cannot monitor what their fish eats or comes in contact with, they also cannot control the temperature and freshness of their catch as well as a farm can. Many fishing boats are at sea for days at a time, the top buyers will purchase what is called "top of the catch" or what was caught the last day of fishing. There are several independent organizations for wild fishing as well, that ensures ecological and food safety protections. The traceability of the individual fish is not as comprehensive or controlled as it is in farming. So farming produces a more consistent product over time.
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Our partners meet ASC, BRC (Brand Reputation through Compliance), AquaGAP, and the Whole Foods Market Standard. In addition, they preserve the fish in a process called super chilling, which means it is never frozen, and the cells do not break down the way they do on ice.
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