Food Forum: Trout catches “better” customers

Sustainable rainbow trout farming helps meet today’s trends in sustainability and healthy choices. By Larry Cope Consumers are inundated with catchphrases such as “eco-friendly,” “going green” and “sustainability.” Most define each in their own terms, knowing that these all have a common theme of doing something better for society as a whole. It is these same savvy consumers who are also making better everyday choices; from increasing their recycling efforts to buying locally sourced foods and preparing them in healthier ways. With this philosophy in mind, fresh seafood buyers can benefit from making better selections, such as sourcing their fish supply from sustainable fish farms, while meeting consumer demand for better choices. Sustainable fish farming starts with two things: fish eggs and pure water, both of which are present in abundance on Idaho trout farms. Native to the U.S. Pacific Northwest and Idaho, rainbow trout is a species now recognized by more than 80% of consumers. Artificial spawning of fish was introduced to the U.S. in 1853, and the technique was first used to reproduce rainbow trout around 1872. While the use of rainbow trout for commercial and public aquaculture has spread throughout the country, Idaho boasts 70% of all U.S. trout production, thanks to a sustainable and abundant supply of clean, cold (58°F), highly oxygenated freshwater. Idaho Aquaculture rests fundamentally on its access to the Eastern Snake Plain Aquifer (ESPA), a globally unique, abundant, naturally pure supply of freshwater. This Lake Erie-sized aquifer is an underground water reservoir covering approximately 10,800 square miles of Idaho. The ESPA contains roughly 200 billion cubic feet of freshwater that is sustained in large part by infiltrating snowmelt from the mountains of Idaho. Not only is there a substantial amount of water, but also the water is exceptionally pure and constantly 58 degrees. In effect, it is the perfect environment for raising rainbow trout. The aquifer itself formed more than 4 million years ago following successive layers of basalt lava flows. The majority of the water supply originates in mountains on the north and east sides of the Eastern Snake River plain, including the southern portion of Yellowstone National Park. As snow melts, it is filtered into the aquifer, where water then flows underground in an east-to-west direction. Idaho trout farms capture water exiting the ESPA and direct it, by gravity flow, into each of their fish production farms. There are no electrical or other power costs involved in supplying water, further improving environmental sustainability. In fact, one farm actually generates electricity with some of the water flowing into its farms. After use, the water is treated to remove solid waste and then discharged into the Snake River, a 1,078-mile-long river running from Wyoming to Washington, where it joins the Columbia River. Most importantly from a sustainability perspective, Idaho fish farms do not consumptively use water for fish production. So not only is it sustainably grown, customers can feel good about the rainbow trout they are purchasing from you as part of a well-balanced diet. Rainbow trout is a superfood that is high in Omega 3’s, high in protein and an excellent value. It is also easy to prepare. Simply, grill, bake or sauté and dinner is on the table in less than 20 minutes, and with the popularity of recipe search engines like Pinterest, Google, and a host of sites supplementing cooking shows, rainbow trout recipes are instantly available. Rainbow trout is a natural addition to any fresh seafood cabinet and is growing in popularity today. In fact, rainbow trout sales grew by more than 10% in 2013, and sales continue to swim upstream. With more than 90% of seafood consumed in the U.S. coming from foreign operations, Idaho offers an abundant supply of rainbow trout produced and processed domestically. Thanks to an exceptional distribution network, retailers in every major market in the U.S. can receive 100% boneless, fresh Idaho rainbow trout with twice-a-week deliveries. So when retailers are looking to supply the seafood case and customers with better-for-you options, consider farm-to-fork, sustainable and delicious Idaho rainbow trout. It is better all around. Larry Cope is CEO, president of Clear Springs Foods. He can be reached at [email protected].