Atlantic salmon

Atlantic salmon are the only species of salmon naturally occurring in the Atlantic Ocean. All other species of Salmon exist in the Pacific Ocean. The interesting thing about the Atlantic Salmon is how adaptable it is! Most Atlantic Salmon spawn in freshwater and migrate out to sea, only to come back up stream to spawn again. Amazingly, salmon almost unwaveringly return to their home river to spawn. How exactly they find their way back again is one of the mysteries of science and life. Some say they can tell the difference in the magnetic fields of the Earth, some say they can tell their way by the stars, and others say they ocean currents play a big part in it. The fact of the matter is, that they return to their native rivers. This is a big reason why it is so important to keep the rivers healthy!

The Atlantic salmon is currently one of the most commonly farmed species of salmon in the US. Unfortunately, due to certain farming practices, Atlantic salmon farming is a big strain on the oceanic environment. Salmon fisheries are usually big floating net farms in the Atlantic or Pacific oceans. They are treated with antibiotics that leak into the ocean waters around them, and are overfed for rapid growth, resulting in lots of waste products dumped into the ocean as well. This is especially unpleasant in the Pacific ocean, because during storms and when a net gets busted, Atlantic salmon can escape the farm and compete with native salmon for food and breeding grounds, as well as spreading foreign diseases and parasites to the native fish.

If possible, you should always buy wild salmon or catch your own. It's just tastier that way!