What key factor contributes to the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) assigning farmed Arctic Char a “best” eco-rating?
Answer
Farming occurs onshore in tanks and raceways
The superior environmental rating given to farmed Arctic char by bodies like the EDF is directly attributed to its typical farming methodology: onshore aquaculture using tanks and raceways. This land-based system significantly mitigates two major ecological concerns associated with traditional aquaculture. Specifically, it leads to reduced direct pollution discharge into local waterways, and it substantially lowers the danger of farmed fish escaping to interbreed with or negatively impact wild populations, a common criticism leveled against many open-water netpen salmon farms.

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