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Courtesy of NAA:

The National Aquaculture Association (NAA) is pleased to summarize some important sections of the Scientific Report of the 2015 Dietary Guidelines Committee that once again has a positive message about seafood and, this year, supports aquaculture development.

In 2010, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans strongly recommended that seafood consumption be increased to 8 ounces per week to maintain good health.   The recommendation was based on the health benefits of seafood consumption including decreased cardiovascular disease risk and improved infant neurodevelopment.   Only about 10% of the population meets the recommendation for two seafood meals per week.  Males between the ages of 51 to 70 are the highest consumers.  The 2015 report supports that view.  To maintain good health, there is a critical need to increase seafood consumption across all population sectors.

The 2015 report goes on to recommend the substitution of seafood for terrestrial animal food twice a week.  The weekly recommendation of 8 ounces of seafood contributes energy, protein, selenium, vitamin D, and vitamin B-12. Fish is rich in the long-chain eicosapentanoic acid (EPA) and docosahexonoic acid (DHA) and has a higher proportion of total fatty acids coming from polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids compared to saturated fatty acids in some meat alternatives.

The report also looked at the safety and sustainability of aquaculture production. It came out strongly in favor of aquaculture development noting, “Consistent with overall sustainability goals, farm-raised finfish (e.g., salmon and trout) is more sustainable than terrestrial animal production (e.g., beef and pork) in terms of GHG (Greenhouse Gas) emissions and land/water use.”

The report compared the nutrient content of farm-raised fish and wild-harvest fish.  “For commonly consumed fish species in the United States, such as bass, cod, trout, and salmon, farmed-raised seafood has as much or more of the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA as the same species captured in the wild. Recommended amounts of EPA and DHA can be obtained by consuming a variety of farm-raised seafood, especially high-trophic species, such as salmon and trout.” Some of the lower- trophic level farm-raised species such as catfish and crayfish had lower EPA and DHA levels than wild-caught. However, the report went on to recommend that the nutrient profiles of popular lower-trophic level species could be improved through feeding practices and processing systems.

Currently as much as 90% of the seafood consumed in the United States is imported product. As demand for seafood continues to climb, there will be a rapid increase in aquaculture production worldwide.  To help ensure that Americans can meet the dietary guidelines, there is a need to increase the production of safe, sustainable U.S. aquaculture to supplement our wild-harvest.

The NAA will be sharing this information with our contacts in the nutrition, education, and extension communities.   Since the news is so important, it will also be included on the NAA media flash drive that will be distributed at Seafood Expo North America (formerly the International Boston Seafood Show) later this month.

View the full report at: http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015.asp