Saving a fish species was not Whole Foods’ first intention, says McKinzey Crossland, a spokesperson for the powerful natural retailer. Rather, Whole Foods buyers looking for new fish to sell at their seafood counters came across a “happy accident,” she says. They discovered a version of farm-raised paiche in Brazil and Peru and realized the win-win nature of the deal: They could sell the farmed, sustainable fish, giving them a new selection for their stores while hopefully bringing greater awareness to the species. “Whole Foods Market’s mission is to move the seafood industry toward greater sustainability,” Crossland says. “As the global demand for seafood continues to rise, farmed seafood can be a crucial, environmentally friendly way to supplement dwindling wild-caught fish populations.” But will the gambit pay off for the paiche? No one can say for sure. Some critics say the environmental challenges associated with fish farms can create as many problems as they might potentially “solve.” The largest concerns are that farmed fish like the paiche could escape and damage wild populations, which are already dwindling. Also, farming can wreck sensitive coastal regions and cause pollution. The farmed paiche Whole Foods sells is certified under the market’s “Responsibly Farmed” seal, which specifies that seafood “farmers monitor water quality to prevent pollution.” But since 50% of all the fish we eat is farm-raised, according to Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch, that’s a lot of water for Whole Foods to police. MORE: Six Things to Know Before Ever Eating Seafood Again When it comes to the awareness side of the equation, Whole Foods can certainly create demand for a new seafood product, says Tim Fitzgerald, sustainable-seafood program manager with the Environmental Defense Fund. But whether that demand will turn into action to save the paiche is not so clear-cut. “Being able to create the bridge between sustainable aquaculture and rebuilding a wild fishery, that’s the hardest part,” Fitzgerald says. What would help, he says, is if Whole Foods siphons some proceeds of its paiche sales back to wild-fish conservation—that is, if the market isn’t already. “You have to have a process of creating energy toward making that larger conservation and awareness shift,” he says. Clearly, Whole Foods believes selling farm-raised fish is a step in the right direction. “Should there be another farmed species that meets [our] standards and can help take pressure off an endangered wild population, there’s a good chance we’d consider offering that in our stores,” Crossland adds.
